The Los Angeles Lakers came close to signing veteran big man Brook Lopez, but the deal reportedly fell through due to Lopez’s concerns about the uncertainty surrounding LeBron James’ contract situation.

The Los Angeles Lakers were a finalist for free agent center Brook Lopez, but uncertainty about LeBron James' future with the franchise reportedly factored into his decision for signing with the Clippers.

I identified two needs for the Clippers, ones that mirrored their needs for the draft but were more acute because the Clippers needed short-term playable options: ball handling and frontcourt help. One of my named targets was Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez.