![\"Rob](\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2174544209-e1747152530928.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&w=780\")
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The Los Angeles Lakers\u2018 roster is full, but they have been named as the Golden State Warriors\u2018 strongest rivals for free agent center Al Horford.<\/p>\n
According to Andscape\u2019s Marc Spears, the Lakers and two teams from the Eastern Conference have expressed interest in the 39-year-old center.<\/p>\n
\u201cGolden State, obviously, expected him to sign last week. He didn\u2019t,\u201d Spears said on ESPN\u2019s \u201cNBA Today\u201d on July 14. \u201cLakers, Milwaukee, and Atlanta, I believe, are also interested in a nearly 40-year-old guy who also has retirement on the table.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s still considering retiring; he\u2019s not in any hurry. He\u2019s got a sixth kid coming on the way, he lives in Atlanta and Boston in the offseason. But I\u2019m hearing that whether it\u2019s Golden State and to a lesser extent the Lakers, being away from the family that far isn\u2019t going to be in that decision.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Horford, who earned $9.5 million last season, averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while making nearly two 3-pointers per game on 36.3% shooting from beyond the arc.<\/p>\n The stretch center, who helped the Celtics win their 18th championship to break their tie with the Lakers, could add depth to the Lakers\u2019 frontcourt that was so thin in the postseason, which led to their first-round exit.<\/p>\n If Horford joins the Lakers, he is expected to back up former No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton.<\/p>\n The Lakers still have the $5.1 million bi-annual exception, but bringing back Jaxson Hayes on a one-year deal worth $3.4 million that is above the veteran minimum crippled their ability to access it.<\/p>\n They can open up $3.9 million of their bi-annual exception if they waive reserve guard Shake Milton\u2018s non-guaranteed $3 million salary.<\/p>\n Why Brook Lopez Spurned the Lakers<\/strong><\/p>\n The Lakers missed out on veteran center Brook Lopez because of LeBron James, according to ESPN\u2019s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne.<\/p>\n The statement issued by James\u2019 agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, steered Lopez away from the Lakers and into their crosstown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers.<\/p>\n \u201cFree agent center Brook Lopez, who league sources said had strongly considered the Lakers and the potential starting role, grew wary of the uncertainty around James\u2019 future with the team and opted to sign with the rival LA Clippers, where he will be a backup,\u201d Windhorst and Shelburne wrote on Friday, July 11.<\/em><\/p>\n Lopez was linked to a reunion with the Lakers heading into the trade deadline.<\/p>\n On June 28, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported on \u201cThe Stein Line\u201d that \u201cNumerous rival teams are bracing for the center-craving Los Angeles Lakers to make a run at luring Lopez away from the Bucks.\u201d<\/p>\n LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers throws the ball back to a referee as he attends a 2025 NBA Summer League game between the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans.<\/p>\n James turned down ESPN\u2019s request to sit down on the broadcast to talk about his future and his agent\u2019s controversial statement.<\/p>\n \u201cI ain\u2019t got nothing to talk about,\u201d James told ESPN\u2019s Dave McMenamin before the ESPN broadcast of the NBA Summer League game between the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans on July 12.<\/em><\/p>\n On June 29, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul sparked the trade rumors with his cryptic statement after James opted into his $52.6 million player option.<\/p>\n \u201cLeBron wants to compete for a championship,\u201d Paul told ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania on June 29. \u201cHe knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we\u2019ve had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n James has been closely monitoring the Lakers\u2019 offseason.<\/p>\n \u201cWe understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future,\u201d Paul continued. \u201cWe do want to evaluate what\u2019s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what\u2019s best for him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Los Angeles Lakers\u2018 roster is full, but they have been named as the Golden State Warriors\u2018 strongest rivals for free agent center Al Horford. According to… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":79482,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-79478","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n