Will LeBron Play Hardball With the Lakers? Why His $ Is About Much More than LeBron

It's a reflection of LeBron's still-strong influence on the league that four days into the offseason for the Lakers, the "will James return" discourse is already in overrdrive. And it reflects the significant pressure under which Rob Pelinka will operate this summer, because it's an important part of an offeason that internally and externally is expected to be one of significant progress. 

Maybe not enough to catch the Thunder and Spurs atop the West, but one where the path to another title for Luka is a lot more clear. 

So Brian Windhorst of ESPN laid out some interesting context Thursday, noting that LeBron doesn't see himself as some sort of legacy player or a novelty act. While he gets the landscape broadly, he also made an All-Star team this year, and expects to be treated, if not paid, like one. 

So how do the Lakers handle it? How can they build the requisite amount of trust in an offseason that will probably require the Lakers to renounce LeBron's rights (or sign him quickly) in order to make the rest of the offseason work? Like, what do they do about Rui Hachimura? Because LeBron's salary impacts what the Lakers can pay Rui. And what about Austin Reaves? And anyone else that they want to add in order to make longer-term improvements than LeBron can provide, definitionally. 

But next year is part of Luka's prime, and they can't just let talent walk. 

It's a pickle! 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: Will LeBron play hardball with the Lakers? 

SEGMENT 2: Why LeBron isn't just about LeBron. 

SEGMENT 3: LeBron is a big impediment in a narrow road to improvement. 

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