Lakers preparing to replace Kobe Bryant with LeBron James in 2014?

There are 621 days until Miami Heat forward LeBron James, who stopped the basketball world with “The Decision” in 2010, can become a free agent, should he choose to exercise the early termination option on his contract during the summer of 2014. Surely, there will be at least 621 scenarios floated over the next 20 months concerning James’ future, given that the league’s current power balance sways with his every move.

Thursday brought a whopper to kick off the frenzy: ESPN.com reports that the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to land James to fill the superstar void that would be created by the anticipated retirement of guard Kobe Bryant, whose current contract also ends in 2014.

Biggest star, most glamorous franchise, best media market, biggest stage: this wouldn’t exactly be an original formula. Really, given the timeline on their current contracts, it would be far more surprising if the Lakers weren’t planning to make a splashy play in July 2014. A wish list for any team with the ability to land a max-level free agent in 2014 is going to have LeBron James at the top, just as every team that is set up to have cap space next summer is currently crossing its fingers that the Oklahoma City Thunder can’t reach an agreement with guard James Harden. The class’ top player is always the most important domino to fall, as we learned when James and Chris Bosh picked Miami, sending the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, among others, into contingency plans.

The Lakers are far from the only team that could have cap room two summers from now, should they opt for the most flexible path available to them. Here’s a (long) list of teams that could have significant cap flexibility during the summer of 2014 if they commit to it over the next two years: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, and the Washington Wizards. Some of those teams might face a difficult choice on a current player to get there, but all could be easily position themselves to be big time buyers in July 2014.

Read more: http://nba.si.com/2012/10/18/lebron-james-los-angeles-lakers-free-agency-2014/?sct=hp_t2_a5&eref=sihp

That will put an interesting spin on the "Suck on it, you jealous douchebags" thread!!

Wonder if he will have another one hour extravaganza on ESPN to announce that he is leaving Miami for greener pastures!!