If Mitch Kupchak has a speech in his back pocket that he has saved for the definitive free agent, he better bring it out as he travels to Cleveland.
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ESPN.com is reporting that Kupchak was flying to Cleveland on Thursday night to meet with Rich Paul, the agent for LeBron James, on Friday.
The Lakers are one of the few teams that can give James the max-value contract he is seeking. Amazingly, James has never been the highest-paid player on his team since entering the NBA in 2005.
James was the first member of Miami's Big Three to opt out of his contract. Chis Bosh and Dwyane Wade did the same shortly after. But while a report released Tuesday indicated that James, Bosh and Wade were going to let Heat team president Pat Riley enact his plan to lure free agents and still have enough room to give the Big Three the money they want.
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But CBSSports.com is reporting that unlike 2010 when the Big Three worked in concert with each other on financial compensation, the three stars are going through free agency on their own paths.
And the Lakers, who pitched themselves to New York Knicks all-star forward Carmelo earlier on Friday, are acting as if they believe they are in the mix for both Anthony and James, according to CBSSports.com.
On the surface, it would seem that LeBron would not see enough talent on the Lakers' roster to want to jump to the West Coast, but the Lakers just overpaid for Kobe Bryant, and they can use that sales pitch for James.
But the way the organization takes care of their players, such as Bryant, by giving him a $48 million contract extension at his advanced age - is a selling point to the elite free agents.
Still, the Lakers seem to be a longshot in the LeBron sweepstakes. A General Manager of the Year Award awaits Kupchak if he can somehow lure James to Los Angeles.
Do you think the Los Angeles Lakers have any chance of signing LeBron James? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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