NBA Trade Rumors: LeBron James reassured by the Lakers front office that picks will be traded if the roster can be upgraded
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly reassured LeBron James on trading future picks to improve their current roster. The Lakers are hoping to bounce back after a disappointing 2021-22 season and have a laundry list of goals to accomplish this offseason. After finishing 11th in the Western Conference last season, it shouldn't be a surprise that the organization realized that change was needed.
One of the first changes was the hiring of a new head coach, which they accomplished through the signing of Darvin Ham. The former Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach hopes to have the team ready to hit the ground running early in the year.
After making some tweaks to the roster, the elephant in the room was LeBron James' contract situation. The superstar was set to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.
The team recently announced that James has agreed to an extension, giving the Lakers some relief that he will be around for the foreseeable future. After some speculation that the team was hesitant to trade future draft picks, rumors have suggested that James has been told otherwise.
As Sam Amico highlighted in a recent report from NBA Insider Marc Stein, it appears as if James has received assurances that the team is willing to trade future picks in order to upgrade the roster now.
"James has received assurances from the front office that the team is willing to trade both of their available future first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 if a trade that costs them both picks can realistically position the Lakers to return to contender status."
Lakers Assure LeBron James That Picks Will Be Traded If It Means Upgrade - Hoops Wire hoopswire.com/lakers-assure-…
LeBron James signs extension with the Los Angeles Lakers
There's been plenty of attention on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers throughout the offseason. While the Lakers have a roster filled with big names, they have struggled to stay healthy through the course of a season.
Although James will be turning 38 this season, he has still shown the ability to play at a high level. Last season, the superstar forward averaged 30.3 points while shooting 52.4% from the field.
BREAKING: Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has agreed on a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension – including a player option for the 2024-2025 season, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. James had been entering final year of deal worth $44.5M.
The Lakers have continued to feature in trade rumors during the offseason. They are looking to acquire Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving for Russell Westbrook. There were reports suggesting that the team was hesitant to move future draft selections in trade negotiations because of the uncertainty over James' contract.
With those doubts coming to rest, it will be interesting to see if the Lakers get more aggressive when it comes to trying to upgrade their roster.