Hawks center Capela tests the waters of free market, James and Lakers are interested in recruiting Capela

The NBA offseason has been in trouble again. The Atlanta Hawks recently officially announced a buyout agreement with main center Clint Capela. The inside pillar, who still averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks, unexpectedly entered the free market with $22.6 million left in the contract, immediately causing a shock to the league.

However, this routine operation was involved in a whirlpool of controversy due to Lakers core LeBron James. Shortly after the news of Capela's buyout was made public, a comment from James on his personal podcast "Mind the Game" was quickly pushed to the forefront. James was blunt when discussing the Lakers' inside reinforcement direction: "Now, we need someone to remind Clint Capela that it's time to ask for a buyout...and then he can come to us."

As soon as this statement came out, public opinion was in an uproar. The NBA has long been clear about illegal recruitment among players, and players are strictly prohibited from publicly commenting or inducing players to move within the contract period. As the league's signature superstar, James' public remarks undoubtedly hit the red line drawn by the league. The league stipulates that the penalty for illegal recruitment has always been severe, with a fine of up to $10 million, and may even cancel the team's future draft picks. As a high-quality blue-collar center, Capela's rebounding and basket protection abilities are very attractive to the Lakers who lack the depth of the inside. James' eagerness may be understandable, but publicly guiding the players to buy out and pointing at the Lakers has constituted a naked behavior of crossing the line.

The rule red line, no matter how outstanding the merits are, no one can exempt them. Whether James' remarks touch the league's high-voltage line, what kind of scrutiny will it usher in? At the center of the storm, everyone is waiting for the alliance to make a decision.