Gilbert Arenas Claims He Would Strike A 'Backdoor' Deal With LeBron James If He Owned The Lakers

Kawhi Leonard's infamous deal with Aspiration has been one of the key talking points of the offseason. In light of the deal, former NBA player Gilbert Arenas presented a hypothetical approach for the Los Angeles Lakers to handle their superstar LeBron James on a recent livestream of "The Gilbert Arenas Show."

While Arenas was reacting to the Lakers' decision not to offer James an extension, he assumed the hypothetical role of the Lakers' owner and said:

“If I were the owner, I would have,  I’m just being honest, I would have made a deal with him. I would have had him opt out of that 50-something, ask him what he wanted, if he needs some help with trying to start his own league, whatever, right? I know they ain’t got that kind of power like [Steve] Ballmer do, but I would have done something, man.”

James' decision to opt into his $52.6 million contract inevitably limited the front office's flexibility this offseason. With the superstar taking up a large portion of the salary cap, the Lakers' roster-building efforts were restricted.

However, according to Arenas, this would not have been the case if the Lakers had considered a different type of arrangement. He continued:

“If I can backdoor another 50 to him, invest in his school or whatever. Something that he’s going to be like, ‘All right, bet.’ He’s going to capitalize later on in life to be wherever he’s gonna be. To save me 50 today, where I can build, I would’ve.”

The details of the Los Angeles Clippers' attempt to circumvent the salary cap to retain Leonard are still being revealed. However, the deal itself sparked ideas on how to manage the salary cap situation by getting creative. 

Given that such an approach goes against the NBA's practices and could result in heavy penalties for the franchise, Arenas' strategy may not be the most sensible.

The situation around James not receiving an extension this offseason has seen some interesting developments as of late. Recent reports indicate that the superstar wanted a contract extension, but the franchise was unwilling to offer one.

Given the team's initial plans to keep cap space clear for the summer of 2026, offering an extension to James wouldn't align with the Lakers' strategy. However, with Doncic signing his extension, Los Angeles has shown an inclination to take on long-term contracts driven by the intent of forming a more cohesive roster to contend for the title.

While admirable, it leaves James in an uncertain position, especially since he enters unrestricted free agency next summer. Although Luka Doncic sees a lot of potential for himself and James to succeed as a duo in Los Angeles, the organization may not necessarily perceive things the same way.