LeBron texted KD about joining the Lakers, which obviously means it’s happening

His upcoming decision is the first big NBA free agency domino, but could LeBron James really be looking to team up with Kevin Durant?

Ahead of Friday’s deadline to opt-out of his contract of his contact, the rumors are rampant surrounding LeBron James. A wrench would be thrown into all the speculation if James goes the boring route and stays with the Cleveland Cavaliers for at least one more year, but the Los Angeles Lakers have generally been regarded as the hot spot destination for him.

The hot takes are rampant on ESPN’s “First Take”, and to a lesser degree on FS1’s “First Things First”, each typical morning as a lead-in to “Undisputed.”

But Stephen A. Smith offered a real whopper on “First Take” Thursday morning, as outright speculation under the strained label of qualifying as a breaking of news. Apparently, James has been texting Kevin Durant about the possibility of teaming up in Los Angeles.

Like James, Durant can opt-out of his contract. It has seemed to be a foregone conclusion he will return to the Golden State Warriors, and that’s still by far the most likely scenario for him. But technically, nothing can be ruled out.

Earlier on Thursday morning, on “First Things First”, the topic of which player James should want to team up with was offered for consideration/debate. Cris Carter went with Paul George, somewhat obviously and grounded in realism. But co-talking head Nick Wright went outside the box, and said Durant should be the guy James wants to team up with the most.

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The Lakers have the ability to sign James and Durant, James and George or James and George while adding Kawhi Leonard in a trade to make their own “Big Three.” A lot of things are on the table, realistic or otherwise, highly speculative or otherwise, but in his typical fashion Smith offered “news” without context on his morning show.