Rumor Roundup: Latest on Collin Sexton, LeBron James and Anthony Davis
With the draft less than 24 hours away, the rumor mill is heating up with trade chatter, including potential interest from the Lakers in Collin Sexton.
With the draft now only hours away, the reports and rumors are really heating up whether it’s about trades, free agency or the draft itself. Let’s dive straight into the latest chatter.
Collin Sexton trade interest?
The Lakers don’t sound like a team ready to make a big trade for a superstar, but that doesn’t mean a smaller trade couldn’t happen. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Collin Sexton is a name that has come up in trade discussions.
The Lakers likely will explore the trade market to see what type of veterans they can add to give LeBron James, Anthony Davis and new coach J.J. Redick the best chance of competing this season, with NBA names such as Dejounte Murray and Collin Sexton being batted around by rival teams as possible targets.
This is not the first time the Lakers have been linked to Sexton. Prior to the trade deadline, Sexton’s name was brought up by Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Sexton has two years remaining on his deal and is set to make $18.3 million next season. That makes it fairly easy for the Lakers to make a trade, at least financially. Does a move like Rui Hachimura and the No. 17 pick for Sexton and either the No. 29 or No. 32 pick make sense?
No beef between Anthony Davis and JJ Redick
Prior to being linked to the Lakers head coach opening, fans likely remembered Redick from award season. At the end of the regular season, Redick released his rewards and did not include Anthony Davis on his All-Defense team, for which he had an actual vote.
While it was an egregious mistake, it’s not one that’s going to linger, according to Marc Stein in one of his latest Substack newsletter.
One source close to the process insists that JJ Redick’s refusal to place Anthony Davis on his All-Defense ballot this season is a topic both parties can set aside with little fuss now that Redick is Davis’ coach in Lakerland.
This might have had a different ending if AD did not make the All-Defense team, but that he earned a spot on the First Team, it can be water under the bridge. This will all be much funnier, too, when JJ is campaigning for AD to be Defensive Player of the Year by season’s end, too.
Lakers ready to offer LeBron the max
In a move that is not surprising, the Lakers are not putting any limit on their offer to LeBron James. According to McMenamin, the Lakers are willing to offer him a three-year max contract.
James has until June 29 to opt in to the final year of his contract with the Lakers or become an unrestricted free agent. L.A. is committed to re-signing James and would offer the maximum three-year deal for which James is eligible to take him through his 24th season in the league, sources told ESPN.
If LeBron does opt out, it would likely be to secure a no-trade close. If he instead picks up his option, he could actually negotiate more money in an extension. But given the Warriors' trade interest last season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wanted full control of whether he’s traded.
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