The offseason is well and truly underway unofficially, at least. With the Thunder and the Pacers going blow for blow in the NBA Finals, the rest of the teams are gearing up for the next season. Among the teams are the Los Angeles Lakers, who’ve got a lot to work on before the summer ends. Of course, LA has to deal with the rumors surrounding LeBron James, but there’s more to worry about for Rob Pelinka and Co., such as finding a starting center for the upcoming season. While the Lakers have been linked to many bigs, it seems their pursuit of one superstar has taken a massive hit.

If you were not aware, the Purple & Gold were closely monitoring Steven Adams’ situation at Houston. The 31-year-old was heading to free agency during the offseason, with his two-year $25.2 million deal expiring, making him LA’s top target at the center position. However, this pursuit has come to an unexpected halt. But why? Well, that’s because the Houston Rockets have agreed to a three-year, $39 million deal with the veteran star, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

“Houston Rockets center Steven Adams has agreed to a three-year, $39 million contract extension to stay with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. After playing a key rotation and leadership role in the Rockets’ playoff run, the new deal keeps a top center out of free agency.” Charania posted on X. This is devastating news for Rob Pelinka and Co., who were expecting to land the hot commodity through free agency. Throughout the season, LA’s lack of a big man was the talk of the town and rightly so, as the the gap in their roster exploited by Minnesota in the playoffs.

While Rob Pelinka and the rest of the Lakers front office tried to fill the void Anthony Davis left midseason by signing Charlotte’s Mark Williams, that deal collapsed, leaving the Lakers in the same position for the rest of the season. This made Steven Adams a pretty solid option for LA during the offseason, as he’s coming off an impressive campaign. The veteran posted great numbers; he finished the season averaging 5.7 points along with 6.6 rebounds and 1.12 blocks as he shot 60 percent from the field. While Adams being off the table is terrible news, the Lakers face even severe problems involving LeBron James.

Is this the end of the road for LeBron James? This is what a lot of fans have been asking themselves after the 40-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star posted a cryptic video that left them hanging. Already, James has left his door wide open by not opting for his player option following his team’s early exit from the playoffs. Now, he’s raised more eyebrows by posting a video that hints at something huge but offers no closure for the fans. The post, which has now gone viral, was part of an ad campaign.

“Are the retirement rumors true? What’s next?” someone asks the veteran in the video. However, just as we’re about to hear his answer, it goes black. “I’ve been asking myself the same question…” James captioned the post. After 22 remarkable seasons, James has nothing more to prove. He’s the league’s leading scorer, a four-time NBA champion, and one of the most durable athletes in the game’s history. However, the fans at least expect a farewell tour before he decides to call it quits.

Moreover, it would be a fitting end to the No. 23’s journey if he decided to retire after 23 seasons in the league. Nonetheless, these are just rumors at this point, with the video giving no solid proof to the rumors of James retiring from the game. We all know how fit the 40-year-old is; he’s coming off an All-Star season with the Lakers and has a player option for the upcoming one. So, it’s likely that James will come back for a last dance, at least we hope so, as everyone all around the world watches closely.