LeBron James’ future in Los Angeles is a topic of much discussion, but getting traded isn’t one of them, according to recent reports.
LeBron James and the likelihood that his time as a Laker will end have been the subject of a flurry of news in recent days.
First, there was the rumor that during the trade deadline, the Warriors and Sixers made inquiries about LeBron James. That obviously didn’t work out because the Lakers decided to concentrate on the buyout market and kept their roster intact. After much searching, they finally signed Spencer Dinwiddie to the Lakers as the guard they were looking for with ball handling skills.
Though it never materialized, the rumor that James might be traded caused a stir in the NBA community. It was nowhere near happening, according to Sam Amick, Anthony Slater, and Jovan Buha of The Atheltic.
Meanwhile, according to several team sources, the Lakers insist they do not plan to trade James. James retiring with the Lakers is their preferred option, and a high-ranking team source reaffirmed this to The Athletic on Wednesday.
This information should help to temper rumors and remind supporters that just because a team inquires about a player, it doesn’t always mean a deal is about to happen. Didn’t we just talk about Dejounte Murray getting traded to the Lakers for weeks on end, and in the end, that didn’t happen?
Although it appeared more feasible than James moving to the Bay to join Steph Curry, the outcome was the same: it never happened and it won’t happen anytime soon.
It makes sense that the Lakers want James to retire here. It would be extremely difficult to replace his value and impact on and off the court while he is still playing at an All-Star starter level. The King has never been traded by a team, and doing so would be against the rules unless he is demanding it.
Either way, it is not possible to make a trade right now. James will decide whether to accept his player option in the summer, turn it down and sign a contract for additional years, leave and go, or even retire.
Though James’s future as a Laker may be uncertain, everyone appears to be moving in the same general direction. James wants title No. 5, but the Lakers want title No. 18, as he keeps adding to his long list of accomplishments and solidifying his claims to be the greatest player of all time.
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