When James joined the Heat 14 years ago, he accepted a pay cut to sign to help the team build a suitable championship lineup. After 14 years, James decided to take another pay cut to help the Lakers unlock a full mid-range exception and try to bring in certain target players. It was previously reported that James' annual salary is expected to drop by about 16 million from the top salary to be effective, and if compared with the $51.4 million option he refused to implement, it would be equivalent to a salary cut of 18 million.
Sources told ESPN that the types of players James is willing to make financial sacrifices for are experienced veterans like Harden or Klay, or mature big men who can play alongside Anthony Davis — like Valanciunas. Agent Rich Paul told ESPN that if the Lakers can't attract such a player with a full midrange ($12.9 million annual salary), James will continue to seek a max contract extension.
The Lakers are not realistic to bring in Harden, who wants to stay with the Clippers and is unlikely to accept the middle class. So what kind of players is enough for the 12.9 million middle class to sign? Will these players please James? CBS Sports has listed a number of potential candidates and analyzed them in detail -
Valanciunas
We'll start with the most obvious candidates. The Pelicans have a huge void at the center position after sending away Larry Nance Jr., but their current total salary has reached $168 million and is about to reach the luxury tax line. Keeping Varland at a mid-class salary would put them above the No. 1 line, and it also depends on the final structure of the Dejounte-Murray deal. This is not a team known for spending money. They are more likely to trade Ingram to acquire a new center and then move Varland into the free agent market.
Valan may be particularly suitable for thick eyebrows. Over the past few seasons, Bushy has primarily played center, but the Lakers won a championship when he was a power forward, and adding a stronger big man will help protect him from the attrition of the regular season. Having two big men on the court together will affect the team's space to some extent, but Varland is shooting 34.8 percent from three-point range in his career and averaging 1.6 three-point attempts per game while with the Pelicans. That number needs to be raised a bit, but he's at least willing to shoot from the outside when he's in the open space. It's a start.
In the playoffs, Varan struggled when it came to defending space. This is not a problem for thick eyebrows. As long as Varan can get Bushy through the regular season healthy, and then effectively serve as his backup in the playoffs, that's enough. He also brought in some valuable inside scoring and rebounding, which was an added plus. If the Lakers sign him, they can make the team more competitive.
Older stars: DeRozan or Klay
It's no secret that the Lakers are keen to bring in stars, and both DeRozan and Klay have close ties with the Lakers. Klay has decided to part ways with the Warriors, and his father played for the Lakers. DeRozan grew up in Los Angeles, and he almost joined the Lakers in 2021, only in the end the Lakers chose Westbrook.
Both stars hope to earn more per year than the middle class, but considering that both have made more than $250 million in their careers, even if they are reluctant to take a pay cut, it's not impossible to do so at the right time. James has taken a pay cut to fulfill his responsibilities and will have to take a pay cut if DeRozan or Klay want to play for the Lakers.
One of the Lakers' weaknesses is their perimeter defense. Klay used to be an excellent perimeter defender, but since suffering a major injury, his defensive performance has not been as good as before. DeRozan has never been a strong perimeter defender, and his form is likely to continue to decline as he gets older, and the same decline could occur on the offensive end of the two.
In the 2023-24 season, Klay just experienced the second-worst three-point shooting percentage of his career (38.7%) and the third-worst scoring average (17.9 points) per game. DeRozan's stats last season were on par with his career average, but he's about to turn 35 and his style of play is physically demanding, and his form is likely to be much worse than before. In contrast, Klay may be the better option, as he can at least provide three-point firepower, which is what new coach Redick values the most.
CBS notes that, in fact, there may be a better fit than Clay or DeRozan. But think about who James tends to look for as teammates. He likes to play with celebrities, even if they aren't necessarily the best fit for him (like Westbrook back then). If he chooses to take a pay cut, it is likely that he is looking for those teammates who have enough status, and joining him means doing the same. We'll talk about some of the players here who might end up being more helpful to the Lakers, but the Lakers need James' cooperation for this plan to work. Thompson and DeRozan are the kind of players he'd be considering.
3-and-D players: Melton, Gary Harris and Caleb Martin
These players obviously don't shine as brightly as Thompson or DeRozan, but they're the kind of role players that most strong teams need. All three have some problems.
For Gary Harris and Melton, it's injuries. Gary Harris has had several injuries in his career. Melton suffered a back injury last season, and back injuries are often one of the most dreaded health problems for players.
For Caleb Martin, the Lakers may be concerned about his origins. The Lakers' history in signing free agents from the Heat is a bit disappointing. Neither Nunn nor Vincent have shone since they arrived with the Lakers, but to be fair, both are plagued by injuries, and will the Lakers still dare to poach from the Heat?
But all three players did two things that every team needs. They both shoot three-pointers: Harris is shooting 37 percent from three-point range, Melton is 36.9 percent and Martin is slightly worse at 35.7 percent. Their defense is at least pretty good.
The Lakers will have to somehow find 3D players. They may prefer to look in-house (leaving Christie will be a priority) or look cheaply. But these are proven 3D players, and these days, such players tend to be expensive.
The goal of some other trading
If the right person can't be signed, the Lakers can also bring in a player with a salary of less than $12.9 million through a trade, some of which may require the Lakers to take a draft pick, but their joining would make a lot of sense for the Lakers, CBS listed the following potential targets -
Wendell Carter: He's probably the most perfect Lakers center. Since joining the Magic, he's shot nearly 35 percent from three-point range, making 4.2 three-pointers every 36 minutes. He's a good defensive player who has caused some problems for Jokic in the past. The Magic are interested in Harden right now, and if they bring in Harden, Carter could be put on the shelf.
Robert Williams: He's at great risk of injury. After the Trail Blazers draft Klingen, they may sell Lowe for a bargain. If he hadn't been injured, he might even have been the best defensive player in 2022. If he and Thick Eyebrows are paired up, it will be quite exciting.
Nance Jr.: The former Lakers player can be a solid backup for the thick eyebrows, especially on the defensive end. The Hawks may want to keep Nance Jr., but it also depends on how they handle Capela and Okongu's contracts, and there is a bit of a talent surplus at the center position at the moment.
Gary Payton II: The Warriors need to cut back on salary expenses, and since Caruso's departure, the Lakers have been eager to get his replacement, Payton II is closer to Caruso's defensive ability, but his outside shooting ability is barely passable.
Kessler: It was previously reported that the Jazz are willing to trade Kessler, and the Lakers also want a second big man who has a good defense. Kessler has two years left on his rookie contract, and it's up to the Lakers to make a more attractive offer. After all, the person they're dealing with is Danny Angie.
James is willing to take a pay cut to provide more space for Pelinka to bring in reinforcements, and then it will be up to Pelinka to find what new signings Pelinka can find for the Lakers? Who would you like to see the Lakers get? Feel free to leave a message to express your opinions.