The Los Angeles Lakers have spent most of their last few seasons trying to solve a long-term concern: Finding a dominant big man. This offseason, in addition to it, the team needs to decide on LeBron James’ future. While it continues to hover over every roster decision, insider Jovan Buha laid out a blueprint that could solve both situations. The two situations seem more connected than they appear. 

Featuring on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Buha was asked whether the Lakers could realistically acquire the Utah Jazz big man Walker Kessler, who is a free agent, without putting James in a difficult position. He said ‘yes’, but only if the 4x NBA Champ is willing to make one significant sacrifice. 

“They could make it work depending on the cap gymnastics,” Buha said.

So, the sacrifice comes in the form of a team-friendly pay cut. In order to make it work, LeBron James has to agree to sign a contract worth roughly $15-20 million annually, instead of a max deal, as per Buha.

Moreover, the team also has to make several roster adjustments to make room.

“Right now, the Lakers are projected to have somewhere between $48 to $52 million,” Buha said. “That could increase depending on if DeAndre Ayton opts in or out. And then they also have some salary that they could potentially trade off of, looking at guys like Jared Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht.”

You might wonder how the Lakers still have a cap space of roughly $50 million even after the Austin Reaves extension. The answer is simple.

Although Reaves has already agreed to a 4-year, $185 million extension, the Lakers are still carrying his temporary cap hold, which is roughly $21 million. It allows the team to maintain added flexibility until the deal is officially processed. 

From there, the team could further make more room. Buha pointed out Deandre Ayton’s $8.1 million player option as a variable, along with Jared Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, and Dalton Knecht as movable assets.

Vando, who has $25.6 million remaining for his next two seasons, would free up roughly $12 million on his part. Although he would require draft compensation to move and ultimately push the total cap space to the high $50 million to mid $60 million range.

That flexibility becomes important because Walker Kessler is expected to command a significantly larger contract. The last time the Jazz approached him with extension talks, it didn’t seem to end well. Kessler reportedly declined a 5 year, $140 million extension offer this offseason. 

A deal that would pay him $28 million annually. So, any team that’s looking to land might have an offer much more than that. It should at least be $35 million annually. 

“So theoretically, if the Lakers are able to pull off a Kessler deal and it’s 35 to 40 million, if you’re upwards of 60-ish, even 65, you could still have 20 to 25 to play with. And maybe that’s LeBron in 15 to 20, and then you have another 10 to 15, whatever. So it is theoretically possible.”

On paper, the blueprint exists. The only question is, will LeBron James sacrifice? And can they land Walker Kessler?

The bigger challenge in the LeBron James-Walker Kessler situation

Fitting the two into the salary cap may seem like the biggest hurdle. But it isn’t. 

“They already gave the big contract to Austin Reeves,” Buha said. “If you go out and give the big contract to another player, I don’t know how that’s going to sit with LeBron.”

The insider argued that once the Lakers handed AR a lucrative extension and potentially committed Kessler to another $35-$40 million, it would make a massive dent in the hierarchy. James would essentially slide behind Luka Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler.

Although James would emerge as the third offensive option, Buha suggested that such a move would send a much stronger organizational message.

The timing of this issue makes it more significant.

At the end of May, Brian Windhorst reported a crucial update. James’ camp was willing to discuss a contract below the max deal only if the team could clearly explain it. Only if the Lakers could clearly demonstrate how the team would reinvest the savings into building a championship contender.

More recently, Shams Charania reported there has been limited communication between Bron and the organization, adding another layer of uncertainty.

Whether LeBron James would call it quits at LA or not is a debate for another occasion. But the Lakers have a potential risk.

Kessler remains one of the league’s promising defensive big men. But last season, he played only 5 games after he suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Committing more than $35 million annually is a risk. The team needs to be sure about his recovery and long-term development.

The team may finally have found the solution to their big-man issues with this blueprint. But everything depends on how well Kessler can develop in the long term.