CALLING IT - Lakers don't get Kawhi, Durant, Klay, or....

They really can’t afford to anyway.

They’ve got three guys under contract: Lebron, Davis and Kuzma. If they use the rest of their cap space for a “max” (near max) contract, they’re severely limited in what they can do to fill out the rest of the roster. They’re gonna have a 36-year-old Lebron playing 40 minutes a night.

The latest rumors have Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard talking about teaming up, which would give them a short list of two teams: The Knicks and Clippers, who can each sign two max players.

Edit: Klay Thompson is off the table. Re-upping with the Warriors.

It doesn’t make sense for the Lakers to go after Kevin Durant. They’re in win-now mode, they’re not looking to wait another year.

If I were to guess I'd think the Lakers could be in on a Kyrie or Butler. Kemba seems to be going to the Celtics from podcasts that I listen to. Maybe the Lakers go for a combo of Al Horford/JJ Reddick?

All the buzz is Kyrie favors the Nets. It’s a strange choice to sign with a team with the league’s worst attendance and a mostly nonexistent fan base, but whatever.

Lakers should make an offer to Redick if Philly doesn’t cough up the cash to bring him back another year. I wouldn’t pay him $30 mil, but he’s the kind of guy who will help stretch the floor and he doesn’t need the ball to be effective.

Same with Horford. 

If I were a Lakers fan I’d much rather spread that $34 mil cap space among a few solid players and give the team some depth. 

Lakers should get Leonard. They could win with those 3 and me, but they'll be able to use the MLE to get a pretty good player, than sign the rest for the minimum. There is many options for bodies who can round out the lineup.

Whether they sign one star or use the cap space to get 3 quality players they're still gonna have a depth problem but it's not that bad. They have their mid-level exception (Boogie?) and they can have their pick of the litter as far as minimum salary guys because it's by far the most lucrative media market with the most exposure and a chance to win a title.

I don't know who they can get though. KD, Klay, Russell, Butler, Kyrie, Kemba, Tobias, Horford, Randle, Redick all signed. 

I strongly suspect Kawhi has zero interest in playing with LeBron, being a sideshow in his circus, or playing for an organization that just fired their coach and Magic Johnson quit. He'll stay in Toronto or sign with the Clippers.

I feel like if that's what he wanted he would have done it already.  But I'm a Clippers fan so this is just wishful thinking.