Oh? Is that right? The organization whose glory years were fueled by star power legitimately thought about throwing the biggest fish in the history of free agency, who they hooked by happenstance, to the highest bidder months after having spent years standing idly by while every potential prized catch stuck up its dorsal fin and ignored their bait entirely? That's how it went down? The Los Angeles Lakers, whose basketball operations are run by the eternally grinning titan of tampering, have too much integrity to let LeBron f'n James and his team call admittedly regrettable shots on the heels of 8-straight Finals appearances? Jeanie Buss, of the family that let an oft-injured Kobe Bryant ride out a two year, 48.5 million dollar severance package that actively hindered the development of a young team, has too much pride to left the most impactful addition in NBA history make the business side of basketball more difficult? A franchise that has always been absolutely shameless in pursuit of top-end talent was pushed to their wit's end by their most prominent player ever being insanely predictable in sticking to that same team building strategy? That's the story we're rolling with? Look, this isn't news. Not just because they didn't do the unthinkable by trading LeBron James, but because they only "intended" to in the same way you might "intend" to break-up with your girlfriend when you hang up the phone and tell your friends in confidence that you're tired of her shit. I have very little doubt that the Lakers were pissed off when they got caught off guard by the misguided power play made by Klutch Sports. However, I have ZERO doubt that whatever was said about 'The King' being insatiable as a historically heavy-handed and high-maintenance presence that blurs the lines between player, coach, and GM was said purely out of frustration. The Lakers moving on from LeBron James, with over three years left on his deal, before even putting a right-hand man (aka scapegoat) alongside him is the most laughable load of bullshit that's ever been wafted within my sniffing distance. The Lakers' front office sitting around angrily offering up empty threats to do so in between repetitive and futile attempts to reach Dell Demps in hopes of trading the entire goddamn team for Anthony Davis, on the other hand, is not.
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