No matter the Los Angeles Lakers record, they are always firmly in the spotlight. With their young core growing up right before our eyes, and a plethora of cap space to lean on, the Lakers future appears as bright as it ever has been in the post-Kobe Bryant era. 

The NBA's free agency period doesn't begin until July 1st, but numerous storylines involving LA have already begun to pop up across NBA waters. 

Paul George & Josh Hart

If you ask most Lakers fans, Paul George is essentially guaranteed to sign with the Lakers as soon as the free agency period starts. There's not much to say here; the love affair between George and the Lakers is mutual, with both sides publicly announcing their affection for each other in the past. Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson made comments about PG13 that led to a $500,000 tampering fine being handed down from the NBA League Office. 

The latest chapter in the recruitment of Paul George came on June 12th at....a video game tournament? Yes, you read that correctly. Unless you live under a rock, you're surely aware---or even involved---in the 'Fortnite' craze that is sweeping the nation. Lakers wing Josh Hart is as impressive with the sticks as he is on the court. Hart is part of a large group of athletes and celebrities that play the Fornite game often. Paul George is also a fan of the game, and he attended the Fortnite E3 event with Hart. 

Naturally, upon hearing and seeing this news, Lakers Twitter went crazy, with everybody retweeting the pictures that surfaced on Twitter and Instagram. Fortunately for Hart and LA, tampering charges don't apply for player-on-player recruitment. Hart himself participated in the social media frenzy, making it no secret that he was attempting to lure Paul George into finally making it official and joining the Lakers. 

Lonzo Ball & Kyle Kuzma

Throughout their rookie seasons, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma often engaged in a back and forth trolling on social media. Josh Hart was quick to join in on the banter as well. For the most part, the back and forth insults from the young Lakers haven't been any reason at all to raise an eyebrow. By every single indication and report, the aforementioned players are all close friends off the court. In other words, there hasn't been any reason to worry up until now; much of Kuzma and Ball's ribbing of each other falls under the umbrella of 'boys will be boys'. 

The lone bump in the road came within the past few days after Lonzo Ball released a diss track called 'Kylie Kuzma'. Ball released the song in response to Kuz's 'Player Haters' commercial in which he lobbed light insults at Ball. To many fans, including myself, this is just another instance of the friends showing their sense of humor and roasting each other. There are, however, several prominent media members who have reported the Lakers front office is displeased with the look of the situation. Even if Ball and Kuzma mean nothing by it, it still isn't the best way to represent your organization while trying to appeal to marquee free agents. 

Many people have said that Zo crossed a line in his diss track when he made a reference alluding to Kuzma's personal life. It is important to remember that it isn't up to the media or the fans to decide whether or not either player has ever crossed the line. In fact, it is up to Ball and Kuzma themselves, the only ones who control what happens in their friendship. This story is completely overblown by the national media, who don't seem to be totally aware of the friendship dynamics of the young Lakers. That being said, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne is still right with her assessment that this Kuzma/Ball banter still isn't the best look for the team to project as free agency approaches. 

The song made by Ball and the video made by Kuzma can be considered hilarious to some audiences and extremely inappropriate for others. View at your own discretion: 

Kyle Kuzma: 'Player Hater of the Year'

Lonzo Ball's Diss Track

Kawhi Leonard, DeMarcus Cousins, & Kevin Durant

Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant have outside chances of joining the Lakers, to say the least. Greg Popovich and San Antonio don't seem very likely to deal Leonard to Los Angeles, leaving 2019 free agency as the only path for The Claw to join the Lakers. Kevin Durant is coming off back-to-back championships and NBA Finals MVPs; KD doesn't appear ready to leave Golden State, despite rumors of on-court friction between Durant and Steph Curry. 

DeMarcus Cousins to the Lakers rumors have lost a significant amount of steam over the last couple of months. The majority opinion seems to be that Cousins will return to the Pelicans and continue to play alongside his best friend, Anthony Davis. It's hard to blame Cousins. After all, the Pelicans have an excellent core even without him: Jrue Holiday and especially Anthony Davis are elite NBA players. Rehabbing from an Achilles injury isn't exactly what the Lakers want their star free agent targets to be doing this summer. With Cousins' immense size, it's easy to see why any team would be skeptical of his basketball abilities post-Achilles injury. There is still a decent chance the Lakers acquire Cousins, but it does appear significantly less likely than signing Paul George (basically a lock) and LeBron James.

#LABron James Rumors

The possibility of landing LeBron James is a whole different story though. Day by day, The King appears more and more likely to end up as a Laker. In fact, the Las Vegas odds have Los Angeles currently pegged as the likeliest destination for LeBron to end up this summer. James already has a family home in Brentwood, CA and he is an astute businessman who values the opportunities that exist in southern California. LeBron James's brand is already global, but a move to LA could take his brand and legacy to unprecedented heights.

More rumors from various NBA sources are mounting in regards to whether LeBron James Jr. has in fact enrolled in an LA-area school. Speaking to Black Sports Online, former Laker and NBA star Gary Payton said that LeBron James Jr. had committed to Sierra Canyon High School, which is located in the greater Los Angeles area. According to The Ringer, if James Jr. joined Sierra Canyon, he would be part of a loaded and talented roster with several players that are sons of current or former NBA players. Kenyon Martin and Scottie Pippen both have sons on the team, while Derek Fisher's nephew is also a member.

Sierra Canyon High School officials have not confirmed this report, saying the potential enrollment of Bronny James would be 'news to us'. This could be an honest response from the school official, or it could be a coverup designed to give LeBron and his family some privacy. This isn't the first time that rumors have swirled around which school(s) the James family will enroll their children in. Back in September of last year, LeBron and his wife Savannah were in Los Angeles, visiting Notre Dame High School. When asked about the visit, LeBron said he was simply training at their facilities and greeting players. Yeah right, LeBron. 

As far as on the court reasons for LeBron to come to LA, the Lakers aren't lacking in that area either. In the NBA Finals, it became clear that LeBron James would benefit from playing with a deeper, and younger roster, that was more athletic and versatile. The Cavs roster, meanwhile, was loaded with veterans who were capable NBA players, but they lacked above average athleticism and were generally past their primes. A roster featuring Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, and Josh Hart could be extremely appealing to LeBron. James could sign with the Lakers and still leave enough cap room for another big name star---likely Paul George. 

For more on LeBron's potential fit with the Lakers, check out this recent article, written by Hashtag Basketball's own Josh Toussaint. 

Luol Deng, Draft Picks, & Future Assets

When it comes to the Lakers' draft picks, there is good news and bad news. The bad news: the Lakers do not own their own draft picks this year due to the Dwight Howard and Steve Nash acquisitions several years back. The good news: Los Angeles does have a first and second round pick this year as a result of other past trades. They have Cleveland's 25th overall pick as well as the 47th overall pick, which was acquired from Chicago in the Jose Calderon deal. In the same deal, the Bulls also sent a 2019 second round pick to the Lakers. This works out perfectly because LA gave up their own 2019 second rounder, which will go to Portland or Cleveland. 

The Lakers could certainly hang on to their draft picks this year and try to continue their trend of drafting quality players late in the draft. Depending on how free agency is shaping up behind the scenes, the Lakers could also opt to trade one or both of their picks, either by themselves or attached to other players in order to complete a trade that brings in a veteran. The Lakers have also been recently linked to Zhaire Smith of Texas Tech, but they would likely have to trade up in the draft to acquire him, which remains a possibility. LakersNation.com reported that the Lakers front office is 'super infatuated' with (the idea of) drafting Smith. 

One player that the Lakers could try to attach to outgoing draft picks is Luol Deng, who is just dead weight at this point. This isn't as much of a knock on Deng as it is a knock on the horrendous contract that former Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak signed Deng too. Deng has 2 years and over $36 million left on his atrocious contract, with his salary being the biggest obstacle in the Lakers free agency plans. If he is off the books, the Lakers can basically do anything they want in free agency. It will be unlikely, and nearly impossible for the Lakers to add Paul George, LeBron James, and keep Julius Randle without somehow finding a way to shed Deng's contract. The Lakers options include stretching him or, more preferably, finding a trade partner that is willing to take on Deng's contract for the price of draft picks. It will be much easier said than done for the Lakers to move Luol Deng but expect them to pull out all the stops trying to do so if it means securing multiple free agents. 

Killing Two Birds With One Stone

Depending on how the situations mentioned above play out, the Lakers may be in a position to add some cheaper veterans to round out and stabilize their roster. Trevor Ariza's name has been mentioned as one possibility, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brook Lopez will have to take significantly less money if they want to don purple and gold once again. 

If they were to ink Ariza, the Lakers would receive the added bonus of weakening the Houston Rockets in the process. The all but certain acquisition of Paul George would work the same angle as well, as it would be a significant blow to Oklahoma City's chances of contending out west. 

This wouldn't be the first time the Lakers have killed two birds with one stone, so to speak. In February, they pulled off a trade with the Cavaliers that sent Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to Cleveland. Somehow, Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were able to shed all of the salary necessary to provide them with a chance to sign LeBron James and Paul George this summer. Even more impressive was the fact that LA did this with the Cleveland Cavaliers of all teams, the team desperately hoping to hang on to The King. 

The Lakers front office tandem has proven to be clever and cunning, well aware of the ripple effect made by each transaction. Multiple, significant splashes are surely looming directly ahead for Johnson, Pelinka, and the Lakers. 

Up Next

The 2018 NBA Draft will take place in one week, on Thursday, June 21st. The NBA's free agency period will then start shortly after when the clock strikes Midnight ET on July 1st. The potential return(s) of Julius Randle, Brook Lopez, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to the Lakers remains up in the air. Everything will depend on what LeBron James decides to do, as the Lakers have several different ways to potentially shape their roster around The King.