Lakers projected to have absurd amount of money to spend to build championship roster around Luka Doncic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Even though Luka Doncic has been positioned as the Los Angeles Lakers' franchise player, now and into the future, it is LeBron James who may well hold the key that can open the door to significant spending next summer.
According to Eric Pincus at Bleacher Report, the Lakers have a pathway to open up an NBA-best $89 million in room under the salary cap to build a superteam around Doncic, the league's leading scorer this season.
By letting James leave at the end of his contract this summer, the Lakers will not have to pay the 22-time All-Star at his projected maximum salary of $58.1 million next season. If LeBron's son Bronny and guard Austin Reaves walk too, those moves alone will create $80 million in cap space.
Center Deandre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart could opt out of their deals as well, pushing the Lakers' spending power even further.
MORE: Luka Doncic sends honest message on playing with Austin Reaves, LeBron James
The caveats here, though, are that Reaves is projected to re-sign in Los Angeles for a higher salary once he declines his player option, and Ayton might not find a team willing to bump his salary for 2026-27.
But the Lakers still have a shot at creating the cap space necessary to make a true push for a superstar like Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, even if the salary cap room they create is closer to $60 million than $90 million.
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