NBA Notes: Lakers, LeBron James, Mavericks, Cooper Flagg, European league

Lakers

It may come down to the number. According to Dave McMenamin and Tim Bontemps of ESPN, what LeBron James is willing to accept financially will go a long way in determining where he plays next season.

“Will he play for the midlevel exception? For the minimum?” one scout told ESPN. “A big part of this is knowing what he will be willing to do [financially].”

That’s the question.

If James is willing to take less, just about anyone could get involved. If not, things get more complicated with cap rules and roster juggling.

The Lakers still have an edge with Bird rights, but they’ve got decisions too. Austin Reaves is due for a big payday, and the team also hopes to retain Jaxson Hayes, Luke Kennard and possibly Rui Hachimura.

If James looks elsewhere, keep an eye on the Warriors, Cavaliers, Knicks, Nuggets and Clippers.

Mavericks

Cooper Flagg is producing. But it hasn’t been easy.

“Obviously, it’s been tough,” Flagg said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I only lost four games last year. There’s been times through the season where it’s been mentally taxing on me, not having success that I would’ve hoped for.”

The Mavericks are 24-52. That’s been an adjustment.

“Obviously, we’ve had a lot of injuries and unfortunate things happen throughout the year,” Flagg said. “It’s obviously not been ideal, but I’ve had growth along the way… It’s definitely not the start I would’ve looked for.”

Still, he’s averaging 20-plus and firmly in the Rookie of the Year race. Perhaps even the leader.

NBA Europe

According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, interest in NBA Europe is strong. Multiple bids have reached $1 billion, with more than 120 investors involved.

“We have received significant interest from a range of prospective teams and investors,” deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said. “The level of engagement and the scale of the bids reflect the marketplace’s belief… and the enormous, untapped potential for European basketball.”

That’s the vision. The league is targeting 12 cities and hopes to launch in 2027.

There’s clearly some momentum. Now comes the sorting process.