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Predicting Future NBA Superteams Born in Orlando Bubble

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L.A. Lakers: LeBron James, Paul George, Anthony Davis and Chris Paul in 2022

New Superteam Lineup: PG Chris Paul, SG Paul George, SF LeBron James, PF Kyle Kuzma, C Anthony Davis

Assuming Davis re-signs with the Lakers this offseason, LeBron James should stay on the recruiting trail for a third star.

The Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort should be a hotbed for tampering, as potential 2021 free agents James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George all share the same lodging.

While James will likely try to convince Antetokounmpo to come to L.A. first, so will every other team with cap space in 2021.

Should James fail to bring in a third star in 2021, the 2022 offseason looks promising as well. James, Leonard and George all carry player options for the 2021-22 season, which means they could return to their respective teams or sign a new one-and-one deal to maximize earnings and keep their options open.

George has recently praised the outspokenness and leadership of James as a voice for the NBA.

“You have tremendous leaders in our league in LeBron, Dwyane Wade, [Chris Paul], Carmelo [Anthony],” he said, via Garrett Chorpenning of Sports Illustrated. “We got unbelievable leaders that notice they have a platform. They’re educated in politics, and they’re using their platform to get points across.”

If George has the opportunity to join James and Chris Paul (a free agent in 2022), could he pass it up? Especially if he wouldn’t have to leave L.A.?

The Lakers might have max cap space for George in 2022, and Paul should be willing to take a mid-level exception fresh off his nearly $160 million contract.

While this would be an older core, James isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and Davis would still be in his 20s.

1 Offseason Trade Every NBA Team Should Already Be Thinking About

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Los Angeles Lakers: Using Kyle Kuzma to Get Spencer Dinwiddie

Maybe a stretch of playoff heroics would change this, but Kyle Kuzma continues to look out of place—or at least not ideally utilized—on a win-now roster with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Kuzma needs minutes and touches to realize his massive potential, and he has seen both sliced since Davis’ arrival.

But Kuzma should still hold major interest to rebuilders as a versatile 6’8″ forward with a deep bag of scoring tricks. The problem is most rebuilders won’t have the kind of win-now help the Lakers want. That might open the door to a three-team exchange where Kuzma heads to the Wizards (along with more), Bradley Beal goes to Brooklyn and L.A. native (and longtime Lakers fan) Spencer Dinwiddie comes home.

Dubbed an “ideal target” by B/R’s Eric Pincus, Dinwiddie addresses a need for non-LeBron shot creation and is good enough on the ball to run the offense in relief of the stars. It would help if Dinwiddie were a bit more accurate with his three-ball (career 31.8 percent), but his willingness to fire (5.7 attempts since the start of 2017-18) might be enough to maintain optimal spacing.

Los Angeles Lakers GameDay Roll Call! Sign In to Share Your Live Comments!

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Remember the great game Roll Calls by Lew on the LA Times Lakers Blog? Would love to reprise those for Lakerholics. I’m going to be watching the Lakers even though my Yankees will be playing their season opener at the same time. Anybody else out there planning to watch. Let us know you’ll be there by commenting below and during the game. Go, Lakers!!!