LeBron James "more likely than not to finish career as a Laker", says NBA analyst David Aldridge
LeBron James is still one of the best players in the NBA. Despite being 38, the four-time MVP keeps dominating the league and has shown no signs of slowing down.
Unfortunately, the LA Lakers aren't doing great in the 2022-23 season. They are the third-worst team in the Western Conference, which is why LeBron may be traded for the first time in his career.
Everybody knows that James wants to win, yet the Lakers are not in a position to do so. Due to this, David Aldridge believes that the team could trade LeBron in the summer of 2023.
LA Lakers may trade LeBron James in the summer of 2023
The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 9, yet LeBron cannot be traded until Feb. 14 because of the contract extension he signed with the Lakers in the offseason. Due to this rule, the four-time NBA champion cannot be traded in the 2022-23 season.
However, Aldridge explored the possibility of James being involved in a trade during the next offseason. The Lakers forward is obviously not too happy with the team and has complained about it several times, so trading him may not be a bad move.
The 20-year NBA veteran signed a contract extension hoping that the Lakers front office would make some moves. Unfortunately for him, this hasn't happened, and it's questionable if there will be any big moves before the trade deadline either.
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"It's obviously more likely than not that LeBron James finishes his career as a Laker," Aldridge wrote on his Twitter profile. "But on the off chance his desire for more titles doesn't mesh with the pace of L.A.'s team construction, are there deals this summer that would make sense?"
According to the NBA analyst, there are six teams that could land James next summer.
What teams could LeBron be traded to?
It's important to note that LeBron has never been traded during his 20-year NBA career. However, the Lakers may want to focus on the long-term future of the franchise, and there is no doubt that James could be traded for several valuable pieces.
Aldridge believes that the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers are four teams from the East who could put together decent trade packages for the four-time MVP.
The New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns are the only candidates who could trade for the superstar forward in the West. It's interesting that Aldridge's trade proposal with the Pelicans includes Brandon Ingram's return to Los Angeles.
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Out of all of these teams, the analyst believes that the Hawks have the best chance to trade for LeBron James. The Lakers would send him and Patrick Beverley to Atlanta for Dejounte Murray, John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Justin Holiday, and a draft pick.