NBA news: Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant to Lakers development, LeBron James prediction. The Los Angeles Lakers may settle for a B-list free agent next summer instead of Kawhi Leonard or Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Zach Lowe claims. “KD kind of telegraphed his intentions,” he said on the Woj & Lowe podcast. “Kawhi I think we would all agree that the Lakers are certainly not the favourite or a distant third at best. “Jimmy Butler, he seems to have found a home in Philadelphia. They’re certainly confident they’re going to re-sign him. “Klay Thompson, I think the Warriors are going to max him out. “Kemba Walker, I think the Hornets will max him out and they can offer him another year so you start to ask ‘who is the free agent’. “We didn’t talk about DeMarcus Cousins but if you think you’re going to get Anthony Davis then I don’t know if you want to reunite the bruise brothers that New Orleans had. “Then you get into an interesting discussion is it worth it to go get a Khris Middleton or a Tobias Harris one of these sort of B-list or second-tier really good players. “You’d say ‘then hey, if we got that guy plus LeBron AND we were still able to make a trade’ then that’s not a bad outcome.” LeBron James can easily fire the Lakers to the NBA Finals, former Laker Metta World Peace reckons. “LeBron James, as a Lakers fan, it’s really encouraging to see the Lakers have the opportunity to go to the playoffs," he said. “I’m pretty sure LeBron James isn’t trying to be out in the first round. “A lot of people have got the Lakers fourth or fifth, but LeBron James in his head has them first. “So I could very well see the Lakers going to the Finals.” Cleveland vs Indiana Washington vs Atlanta Los Angeles Lakers vs Brooklyn Dallas vs Denver