The 52-game beta test for the 2023–24 Los Angeles Lakers’ 1.0 edition came to an end on Monday with a 124–118 victory over the Charlotte Hornets (while things got too close for comfort in the closing minutes, Los Angeles cruised overall). The 2024 NBA Trade Deadline will be history when the Lakers play the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
By then, we already know which team will have LeBron James on staff, as his agent Rich Paul made apparent on Friday. But as usual, LeBron is using towels, subtweets, and threats of free agency to play an active, if passive-aggressive, part in the pre-deadline scuttlebutt.
Following the win in Charlotte — which capped off a roller-coaster 4-2 road trip for the 27-25 Lakers — LeBron (40 minutes, 26 points, seven assists) was asked about the possibility of transactions.
“This is who we have, so there’s nothing else to talk about,” he replied to a question about whether the Lakers have proven enough to be aggressive buyers at the deadline.
The Lakers, currently sitting ninth in the Western Conference, have one tradable first-round pick (2029 or 2030), but they’ll be able to attach two additional first-rounders to a trade package this summer — should Rob Pelinka punt on title-chasing in LeBron’s 21st campaign.
To a follow-up on whether the Lakers need to make changes to contend, LeBron distanced himself from the front office.
“It’s not a question for me,” he said. “I love who we have in the locker room. And that’s all I worry about. … I don’t get caught up in that. We’re gonna go out and prepare ourselves every single night no matter what it is. No matter who’s out on this team. No matter what. So it’s my job and it’s AD’s job, as the two captains, to make sure we keep the main thing the main thing. The main focus is now: Thursday’s game at home. And look forward to that matchup.”
On Saturday, when asked a different version of the same question, LeBron simply lamented Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury.
“Well, honestly we took a big hit with Vando last game. Our team has always been constructed around how healthy we can be and how much chemistry we can put on the floor. So, obviously, that’s a big-time blow for us.”
The Lakers’ most-talked-about trade chip, D’Angelo Russell, led all scorers with 28 points in Charlotte in what could be his final appearance for the Lakers. Russell said he isn’t phased by the buzz, and his recent form backs that up. Russell entered Monday averaging 23.7 points and 6.6 assists on 47.1% 3-point shooting since Jan 13.
