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.

LeBron James opted into the final year of his player option with the Los Angeles Lakers over the weekend, and a statement put out by his agent, Rich Paul, made it seem like they could look for a new destination if the Lakers didn't upgrade the team in a significant way.

LeBron James makes any NBA franchise better, but at what extreme would another team be willing to exhaust assets to acquire the 40-year-old superstar? That's the dilemma amid trade speculation after James opted in to his player option with the Los Angeles Lakers,