The Lakers aren't abandoning a summer pursuit of stars, but rather they are recalibrating their focus on a 2019 class that could include San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard, Golden State's Klay Thompson and Minnesota's Jimmy Butler, league sources told ESPN.
The belief has been that the Lakers were cutting an unapologetic path to salary-cap freedom for two maximum contract slots this July, clearing the way toward a pursuit of superstars like Cleveland's LeBron James, Oklahoma City's Paul George and New Orleans' DeMarcus Cousins.
Now, Cousins has a torn Achilles tendon, George has suggested to ESPN's Rachel Nichols that the Thunder have an advantage in re-signing him, and James is believed to have a reluctance toward signing with the Lakers without an established star immediately joining him.