WOW! Lakers eyeing Melo, LeBron

The Los Angeles Lakers, whose plan to re-sign center Dwight Howard did not pan out this offseason, are looking at adding LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony -- among others in a star-studded 2014 free-agent class -- front-office sources have told ESPN.

Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty ImagesThe Lakers would be able to immediately rebuild by adding LeBron James, left, or Carmelo Anthony in 2014.

Opinions are split on whether the Lakers can actually land James or Anthony, with one source calling it "realistic" and another saying it was "far-fetched at this point." Nonetheless, the Lakers have made it clear they are positioning themselves for a run at one and perhaps even two of the superstars who could become free agents in 2014 by refusing to commit to any contract past this upcoming season, multiple sources have said.

Dwyane Wade, Amar'e Stoudemire and Chris Bosh also have early-termination options on the five-year deals they signed in the summer of 2010. Luol Deng, Danny Granger, Andrew Bogut and Dirk Nowitzki will be unrestricted free agents next summer.

James, of course, is the biggest prize. But unlike in 2009, when James' free-agency options the following summer were on his mind, sources have told ESPN that James isn't even considering his 2014 decision yet. "It's all wishful thinking at this point," a league source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN. "Teams are doing more wishing than LeBron is wanting right now.

"It's not about where LeBron wants to go [to win]. He already has two rings. If LeBron moved to Reno, teams would come to him."

Anthony's plans also remain unclear for next summer, but one source close to the situation told ESPN that it would "make sense" for him to exercise the early-termination option on his contract after next season to become a free agent and secure either a four- or five-year extension.