LeBron James Trade Saga Takes Another Twist for Lakers originally appeared on Athlon Sports. LeBron James put some pressure on Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers. He didn't discuss a potential contract extension after opting in on the final year of his contract, and his agent talked about his desire to play on a championship-caliber roster.

LeBron James becoming available has, typically, been a seismic NBA event. Teams famously spent the several years leading up to his 2010 free agency clearing cap space. Pretty much all league business halted for the first 11 days of July in 2014 as teams schlepped across the country first to Cleveland and then,

Like sharks sensing a presence in the water, Rich Paul's cryptic statement that accompanied LeBron James' decision to opt in to his $52.6 million salary for next season led some teams to call the Los Angeles Lakers about the four-time NBA MVP's availability.