Noted yeller Stephen A. Smith says LeBron James texted Kevin Durant about playing for the Lakers

In the past two years, Kevin Durant has twice denied LeBron James’ efforts to win a fourth NBA championship. If ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith is correct, that may have been all James can handle.

Smith reported Thursday on ESPN’s First Take that multiple sources told him James reached out to Durant via text message to gauge his interest in playing together in 2018 — and not with the Cavaliers. James wanted to know if Durant, the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals MVP, wanted to join him as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeBron James reached out to Kevin Durant via text, from what I’m told, about coming to Los Angeles. I don’t know what Kevin Durant’s response to him was. That’s not the information I got. But I will tell you that I did hear is that behind the scenes Kevin Durant was like ‘Why would I do that? You know what, as far as I’m concerned LeBron James is a big time player but the way I look at it, I should be perceived as the best in the world. Why would I think about doing something like that.’

We didn’t believe it to be true. But what if it is!

James’ free agency is the primary story that will drive the 2018 offseason, and many teams will be waiting to see what he chooses before putting their free agency plan of attack into motion. The four-time MVP is still under contract with the Cavs, but has the freedom to opt-out of the final year of his deal and become a free agent. If he does, he’ll be the top prize on a potentially stacked market.

That pool of available players could also include Durant, who can leave the Warriors after winning back-to-back titles with the team. Few teams would be able to create the salary cap space to get two maximum-contract free agents this summer, but the Lakers are one of them. They’ll have upwards of $65 million to spend and have the kind of major market and franchise prestige to lure the game’s top players to Los Angeles.

We’ve already seen the club prep its pitch for former Thunder forward Paul George, who made it clear he’d opt out of his deal Thursday morning. Getting either James, Durant, or both would be an upgrade from George — though there’s a chance the club is targeting a James-George pairing in the likely scenario Durant remains locked in with the Warriors. There’s also the possibility of a Kawhi Leonard trade in LA — though the Spurs haven’t exactly bought in to that idea yet.

While this is good news for the Lakers and Warriors, it’s a bad look for the Cavaliers. Cleveland’s best shot at remaining relevant for the 2018-19 season is to keep hometown hero James in tow. Losing him as a free agent would deal a crippling blow to its title hopes — just like it did in 2010 when he left the first time. If Smith’s report is correct, the odds favor James’ leaving town. Whether that’ll be for Los Angeles or not remains to be seen.