This article discusses why top NBA free agents showed less interest in signing with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason compared to previous years. Despite the Lakers' prestigious history and location, notable players like LeBron James, Jonathan Kuminga, and Klay Thompson chose other teams over Los Angeles. The piece explores financial constraints but also questions underlying factors that may deter star players from joining the Lakers, such as player perceptions of value and potential for success.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Something curious is happening with the Lakers.
asserted
Something → happen → Lakers
They’re the second-winningest franchise in the NBA with 17 championships.
asserted
They → ’re → championships
They have a top-four player in the league in Luka Dončić.
asserted
They → have → Dončić
They’re located in one of the premier cities in the league in Los Angeles.
asserted
They → locate → Angeles
But a curious pattern has repeated itself this offseason.
asserted
pattern → repeat → itself
The league’s top available players didn’t show interest in Los Angeles.
asserted
players → show → Angeles
After eight years with the Lakers, LeBron James chose to leave in free agency.
asserted
James → choose → agency
Jonathan Kuminga took his talents to Minnesota.
asserted
Kuminga → take → Minnesota
Klay Thompson decided to go to Miami.
asserted
Thompson → decide → Miami
Bruce Brown decided to sign with the Knicks.
asserted
Brown → decide → Knicks
The Lakers weren’t at the top of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s list of top destinations when it became clear the Bucks were going to trade him.
asserted
Bucks → become → him
Peyton Watson, who was a restricted free agent, opted for a sign-and-trade deal with the Cavaliers, where he could earn much more money than with the Lakers.
uncertain
he → restrict → Lakers
Sure, the Lakers were hamstrung monetarily after re-signing Austin Reaves to a four-year, $180 million deal, the richest contract for a player who went undrafted in NBA history.
asserted
who → hamstring → history
And they emptied their treasure trove for Walker Kessler, whom they acquired via a sign-and-trade from Utah on a four-year, $130 million deal, including giving up first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
asserted
they → empty → 2028
They also largely emptied their pockets on Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams and Jaden Hardy.
asserted
They → empty → Sexton
But money only tells part of the story.
asserted
money → tell → story
James chose to sign a veteran-minimum deal with the 76ers (two years, $8 million) instead of potentially earning much more in Los Angeles, with some estimates placing him in the ballpark of earning $25 million per year with the Lakers after single-handedly leading them past the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.
asserted
estimates → choose → playoffs
Kuminga opted to sign a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Timberwolves even though the Lakers had initially offered him a two-year deal worth $20 million.
asserted
Lakers → opt → deal
Thompson, who went to high school in Southern California, grew up a Lakers fan and whose father is a radio analyst for the Lakers, chose to sign with the Heat on a two-year, $13 million deal.
asserted
father → go → deal
Most recently, Brown signed an Exhibit 9 training camp contract with the Knicks.
asserted
Brown → sign → Knicks
Sure, the Lakers have 16 players on standard guaranteed contracts, as well as three two-way contracts.
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Lakers → have → contracts
They’re going to need to shed players before Opening Night.
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They → go → Night
Why aren’t players clamoring to join the Lakers, as they have in past seasons?
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they → clamor → seasons
Imagine him playing alongside Dončić.
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him → imagine → Dončić
Why did Kuminga take less money to join the Timberwolves?
asserted
Kuminga → take → Timberwolves
His athleticism and perimeter defense could’ve really helped the Lakers.
uncertain
athleticism → help → Lakers
What’s happening here?
asserted
What → happen → ?
As for James, he clearly felt undervalued by the Lakers toward the end of his tenure with the team
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he → undervalue → team
He also felt as though he had his best chance to win his fifth ring in Philly.
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he → feel → Philly
Still, his decision to leave Los Angeles and move across the country from his family sent shockwaves throughout the NBA.
asserted
decision → leave → NBA
Nearly every team clamored to acquire the 41-year-old — who’s arguably the greatest player of all time — at a bargain price.
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who → clamor → price
It all makes you wonder …
Did the Lakers’ treatment of James at the end of his career give other players’ pause, especially considering the team’s past history of revering their superstars?
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treatment → make → superstars
Did the team’s transition from James to Dončić make other players want to see how things play out before buying in?
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things → make → Dončić
Did the Lakers being sold twice in 14 months make other players feel iffy about coming to Los Angeles?
asserted
players → sell → Angeles
Did the Buss family drama impact things?
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drama → impact → things
Maybe players simply wanted to join an organization where they stood to make more money down the line.
asserted
they → want → line
Maybe they just didn’t feel comfortable joining the Lakers, who are clearly undergoing multiple major transitions.
asserted
who → feel → transitions
Either way, it makes sense that eyebrows are raised a bit here.
asserted
eyebrows → make → sense
But this summer told a different story.
asserted
summer → tell → story
The Aporia
