The Lakers Will Reportedly Pursue LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony Next Summer

We're already talking about this?

Debby Wong/USA Today Sports

Now that Dwight Howardhas signed with the Houston Rockets, the NBA media is already speculating about the next crop of big free agents. Next summer, that group will include Luol Deng, Dirk Nowitzki, Danny Granger, Andre Bogut, and, of course, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. And according to ESPN Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers have their eyes on at least two of those free agents—LeBron and Carmelo.

That's right. Even though the 2014 NBA free agency period is still a year away, the Lakers are reportedly focused on making a big splash in the summer of 2014. They want to sign Bron-Bron and 'Melo and help Kobe Bryant get his sixth ring. But they won't be alone in their pursuit of either superstar since both of them can opt out of their current contracts next summer.

"It's all wishful thinking at this point," a league source told ESPN Los Angeles. "Teams are doing more wishing than LeBron is wanting right now. It's not about where LeBron wants to go [to win]. He already has two rings. If LeBron moved to Reno, teams would come to him."

We hope you guys are ready for a year full of this kind of speculation! Because if we're already talking about LeBron and Carmelo's free agency now, we can only imagine how much more we're going to be talking about it in six months.

RELATED: The 25 Worst Free Agent Signings in NBA History

[via ESPN Los Angeles]

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