Lakers had a potential $100 million offer to D'Angelo Russell on the table in free agency, per report

The caveat was they were still waiting on Kawhi Leonard's decision

The forces that led D'Angelo Russell to sign a four-year max contract with the Golden State Warriors this summer were about as powerful as it gets in the NBA. First, Kevin Durant, one of the greatest players ever, had to decide to sign with the Brooklyn Nets. That meant Brooklyn no longer had the money to keep Russell, who officially hit the open market. 

It's a misnomer that Russell had to go to the Warriors. He didn't. He was a restricted free agent, meaning the Nets, by rule, had the opportunity to match any offer Russell received from another team. But again, the Nets didn't have the money to sign Russell after Durant and Kyrie Irving came aboard. Once Russell chose the Warriors, then a sign-and-trade was able to be worked out. 

But the Warriors weren't the only team offering Russell big money. Per Anthony Slater of The Athletic, both the Wolves and Lakers were both ready to offer Russell $100 million-plus. The Lakers potential offer, however, came with a bit of a Kawhi catch. 

From Slater:

Russell only wanted serious bidders and, sources say, he had three: The Lakers — wouldn't that have been quite the reunion? — nearing a potential $100 million offer but in limbo until Kawhi Leonard made his choice, the Wolves, up over $100 million but still needing to create cap room to get to his max, and the Warriors, offering the full max in a complicated sign-and-trade involving Durant.

Remember, Kawhi took a long time to make up his mind about where he was going to sign. The Lakers couldn't spend their money until he made his decision, unless they were willing to remove themselves from consideration. Considering the drama of Russell's first stint with the Lakers (who drafted him No. 2 overall in 2015), that would've been some kind of story him going back there. 

It was not to be. The Warriors came in and offered more money -- a full max worth $117 million -- and Russell jumped at the chance to get paid a ton of money to play for one of the best organizations in basketball, which at the time was still considered to be a fringe championship contender even after the departure of Durant. 

That hasn't turned out to be the case, and there is still a question as to whether the Warriors will ultimately look to trade Russell. If they do, the fact that the Wolves were reportedly ready to pay him $100 million-plus is the reason they are so often rumored as a potential trade partner. They wanted Russell then, they likely still want him now. The Lakers, meanwhile, are doing sort of OK with the team they have.