The NBA offseason is here, and the market is revving up in the early days itself. The rumor mill is churning pretty hard too, and there have been some blasts already. The Suns acquired Bradley Beal, forming a formidable trio with Durant and Booker. In exchange, Chris Paul got sent to the Wizards, and his future there is unclear. Paul is now being linked to the Los Angeles Lakers. Ah, the good old Los Angeles Lakers, who are in the headlines around the clock, just like their superstar LeBron James.  It isn’t surprising that Paul isn’t the only name being linked to LA.

Rumors don’t just flash out of thin air, but their credibility always remains under question. One recent rumor suggests that the Lakers’ prime target has asked for a big bag this season.

How will the Lakers navigate the cap space situation?

Reports suggest that Fred Van Vleet has emerged as the top contender for the Purple and Gold this offseason. The player reportedly has a heavy demand of $30 million dollars, irrespective of where he ends up moving. The Lakers, coincidentally, are also going to hit the market with a cap space of around $30 million dollars. With other deals in the book, however, the storied franchise will need to clear some space to sign Van Vleet. The most likely method to land the player can be a sign-and-trade scenario.

Kyle Kuzma is also hitting the market. He had a career year with the Wizards and averaged over 20 points a game while also improving his passing. Kuzma had spent four seasons with the Lakers and even won a championship with LeBron. As a result, he has emerged as a potential target too. The player is making $13 million with his current contract with the Wizards and a reunion may be on the cards.

Will the Lakers play some mental gymnastics and give Kuzma both the economic and role-based lure? As for their current crop, they are likely going to hold on to Austin Reaves, who is not going to cost much, anyway. They can also retain D’Angelo Russell, who got back to the Lakers and improved the squad. LA can engage in trade scenarios and that’s the most likely method to get a hold of Van Vleet. Reacting to the news, NBA fandom was quick to jump on these developments. 

Fans react to Van Vleet and Kuzma potentially joining LeBron James at LA

After cryptic messages in the postseason, the rumors of LeBron moving have just subsided. If he were to stay with the Lakers, the front office would do its best to give the King suitable resources. Reacting to the recent rumors around Kuzma and Van Vleet, many had a hard time wrapping their heads around it. Here are a few reactions:

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One of the fans had a take on both Kuzma and Van Vleet, “Kuz kinda making 13 mil in this market was a crime 😂 and Fred need to relax. I can’t believe they bout to pay him that much”

Another fan also questioned the logic of rewarding Van Vleet with that much money, “who tf would give fred vanvleet 30 mil bro shoots 39% from the field thats dillon brooks territory”. Another fan echoed a similar sentiment, “30m/4 years is still alot for fred”

A fan thought Kuzma going to the Kings made sense for both of them, “Kuz replacing Harrison Barnes is a great look for the kings”

A user rightly pointed out the unlikelihood of Van Vleet going to the Suns, ‘Get outta here wit fvv to the suns , did they not get the email about the new cba?“

Is Van Vleet demanding too much? Can Kuzma return to the Lakers? Do share in the comments below.

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