Miami Heat superstar could win his third consecutive NBA Finals this season and then head to free agency afterwards. If he hits free agency again, every team out there would pursue him including his hometown and former team the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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The Los Angeles Lakers would be willing to get into the mix for James as well, and the hope that James signs with the Lakers is already impacting their decisions within the organizations. Most notably, the fact that they have yet to name a head coach while teams like the Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks sign Steve Kerr and Derek Fisher respectively.
Of course the Lakers aren’t putting all their chips in the James basket, holding off naming a coach is believed to help them sign other superstars as well like the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony.
According to Sam Amick at the USA Today.
"The slow pace of the Lakers’ coaching search that began April 30 when Mike D’Antoni resigned has been timed deliberately with the upcoming free agency period in the NBA, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Specifically, the idea that the Lakers could beat the odds and land the likes of the Heat’s LeBron James, the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony or any of the other superstars who may be free agents on July 1 has led the Lakers to plod through their process so as to not limit their potential options. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the search."
It is an interesting tactic and possibly one that doesn’t matter much. The problem with waiting to name a head coach that appeases your superstar, if you were to sign one in free agency, is that the number of coaches available will have shrunk as they’ve signed with teams already.
Amick goes on to discuss Anthony teaming up with the Heat trio, but notes they’d all have to take pay cuts. Amick also suggests that some combination of Anthony, James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh could go to the Lakers as well.