LeBron James endorsed Lakers' pursuit of stars Dejounte Murray and Zach LaVine: Reports
Lakers superstar LeBron James reportedly supported LA's push for star power at the perimeter position. According to Sam Amick, Anthony Slater and Jovan Buha from The Athletic, LeBron endorsed the signings of Chicago Bulls guard Zach Lavine and Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray for weeks and months ahead of the trade deadline on Feb. 8.
LeBron James shares the same agent as Murray and Lavine: Klutch Sports Group's Rich Paul. As per the report from The Athletic:
“James was also in support of the Lakers trading for Dejounte Murray or Zach LaVine — two Klutch Sports clients — in the weeks and months leading into the 2024 trade deadline"
Meanwhile, the Lakers stayed put at the deadline and both guards remained with their respective teams. It was widely speculated the LeBron James-led team would go for an upgrade to suit his strengths better.
LeBron has consistently sought a star ball-handler to join him, going back to the Lakers' unsuccessful attempt to land Damian Lillard in the summer of 2021 and their later acquisition of Russell Westbrook.
LeBron reportedly pressed for the Lakers to bring in his former teammate Kyrie Irving in the summer of 2022, at the trade deadline in 2023, and once more during the last summer.
The Lakers reportedly have their sights set on players such as Irving, Hawks guard and teammate of Murray, Trae Young, and Cleveland Cavaliers' 5x All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. Meanwhile, Young is also represented by agent Paul.
LeBron James and LA Lakers show improvement after trade deadline
The Lakers have faced challenges in achieving consistent performance throughout this season, as highlighted by their 29-26 record. This places the team in the ninth spot in the Western Conference.
Following Feb. 8, the Lakers secured a 17-point victory at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 9 and then defeated the Detroit Pistons at home by 14 points on Tuesday.
The Lakers' triumph over the Pelicans is particularly notable in their recent string of wins, given that they rank above the Lakers in the standings, boasting a commendable season record of 32-22.
The Lakers may have made a wise choice by opting not to overhaul its roster through a significant trade. With LeBron James playing at a high level, they have recently been on a winning streak and are now closely approaching a top-five position in the West.
They are only three-and-a-half games behind the Phoenix Suns, who hold the fifth spot with a 6-4 record in their last 10 games.