"We just got guys who love to play basketball."@KingJames fills in @Rachel__Nichols on the new-look Lakers pic.twitter.com/qmfffwjN6c
— ESPN (@espn) July 30, 2018
3. Having another All-Star in L.A. wasn’t a priority.
In order to land James, it was widely believed that the Lakers would have also had to sign free agent Paul George, or make a trade for Kawhi Leonard. As we now know, neither of those things ended up happening as George stayed put in Oklahoma City and Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors.
James admitted that he didn’t tell the Lakers front office that a second All-Star would be a necessary component of him signing, saying, “I love the young guys that they have, and I’m not trying to force my hand in no way, shape or form. I believe Rob [Pelinka] and Magic [Johnson] and Jeanie [Buss] have done an unbelievable job of reshaping what the organization should be.”
He also said he “didn’t have many conversations with Paul,” but contended that fans shouldn’t be skeptical of the Lakers’ roster as it stands right now.
“Because we got guys who love to play basketball,” he said. “At the end of the day, guys who love to play basketball and that’s what they do every single day. I love that, and I think Pelinka and Magic love that as well. And that’s why they made the signings. Bringing Lance [Stephenson] and JaVale [McGee] and [Michael Beasley] and [Rajon] Rondo — guys that every day they wake up they’re thinkin’ about the game of basketball. Everything else is secondary. So we look forward to all the challenges and, I mean, eyebrows is always gonna get raised when my name is involved anyway, so it shouldn’t even be a surprise.”
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