LeBron James Contacted Kevin Durant About Lakers Move, Stephen A Smith Says

The "LeBron James summer" is finally reaching its conclusion with the Cleveland Cavaliers star just hours away from revealing plans with regard to his future.

The four-time MVP can either remain with the Cavaliers or exercise his player option and become an unrestricted free agent, which allow him to join a team of his choosing for the 2018-19 season.

The Los Angeles Lakers are said to be leading the chase for the three-time NBA champion and James is said to favor a move to the Staples Center, but is keen to form a super team in order to end the Golden State Warriors’ dominance over the league – the Bay Area team have won three of the last four NBA titles.

The Lakers are said to be in talks with the San Antonio Spurs to sign Kawhi Leonard, who is also a player in demand. But James is said to have another player in mind that he wants to team up with in Los Angeles.

According to ESPN’s Stephen A Smith, the Cavaliers star contacted soon-to-be free agent Kevin Durant via text and asked him to join him at the Staples Center. James is a big fan of the Warriors forward after labeling him one of the best in the league after he single-handedly demolished the Cavaliers in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals.

“LeBron James reached out to Kevin Durant via text, from what I am told about coming to Los Angeles,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Thursday.

However, despite Durant choosing to opt-out of his contract with the Warriors, he has no intention of leaving the Bay Area team, and is doing so in order to renegotiate a more lucrative deal. ESPN’s Smith also feels the same way and believes it is unlikely Durant, who wants to be viewed as the best, will join James and cement the latter’s legacy.

Durant made his feelings about remaining with the Warriors clear after the Finals and the reigning champions’ general manager Bob Myers indicated that they are ready to offer any deal he wants to keep him with the team for the foreseeable future.

The Lakers are keen to get James, and are pulling out all the stops in order to convince him to move to Los Angeles. They are hoping that a trade involving Leonard from Spurs will convince the All-Star to join the 16-time NBA champions.

James’ impending free agency has been the topic of discussion well before the end of the season, but has taken over the sport once the season concluded after the NBA Finals.

The Cavaliers small forward’s decision is the most highly anticipated during the off-season and it will all become clear when the deadline approaches on June 29. If James exercises his player option, he can officially start talking to other franchises on July 1, but cannot sign a contract until the July moratorium ends at 12 p.m. EDT on July 6.