"The LA Lakers might have to trade for LeBron James this summer" - Brian Windhorst claims Lakers talisman miffed with franchise management
Brian Windhorst believes LeBron James could be on his way out of the LA Lakers after the end of the season. The 37-year-old has fired some shots at the Lakers management in the past week, expressing his displeasure over their recent decisions.
LeBron wanted the Lakers to make some moves at the trade deadline to save their drowning season. However, general manager Rob Pelinka couldn't do anything significant and even claimed Anthony Davis and LeBron James were fine with it. Windhorst, who has been in the media for over 20 years, has followed LeBron James' journey and could be right when he said:
"The Los Angeles Lakers might have to trade for LeBron James this summer."
Lakers’ LeBron James on Thunder GM Sam Presti: “The MVP over there is Sam Presti… I don’t understand this guy’s eye for talent. He drafted KD, Russ, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Josh Giddey. … This guy is pretty damn good.” https://t.co/mNb35Ggi6P
The 37-year-old is in the 19th year of his career and does not have long to win a few more championships. Many would have thought that the squad which the Purple and Gold assembled this year would do the trick, but things have not gone as planned. The team are currently ninth in the West with a 27-21 record.
LeBron is not happy at the moment with the Lakers, but as it stands, he will have to somehow make it through the season with the current roster. With just 24 games remaining, the Lakers are in the play-in spot, which means they will have to win consecutive games to make it to the Playoffs.
LeBron last missed the Playoffs in 2019, after which the Lakers signed Anthony Davis to win the championship.
Game on the line. @KingJames finished it. https://t.co/5GXwK7dHnx
During All-Star week, LeBron James heaped praise on the Oklahoma City Thunder's general manager and reports claimed it was an attempt to take a dig at Rob Pelinka.
No one knows if that's the case, but LeBron's comments must have reached Pelinka's office and this will certainly alarm him, because if he doesn't make a big move, the Lakers could lose LeBron James in the summer. The 37-year-old's exit will severely hamper their chances of winning the championship.
Is LeBron James' demand for some more help on the LA Lakers team valid?
LeBron James has averaged 29.1 PPG, his highest since the 2009-2010 season. He has been on a tear and has scored 25 points or more in 23 consecutive games. Despite all of his brilliance, the Purple and Gold have failed to deliver as a unit.
Their defense has been below par and has cost them games. The Lakers have also been bad in terms of closing out games, which has seen them lose against short-handed teams.
"I had so many dreams of being an All-Star when I was a kid..." - @KingJames https://t.co/P0qCBahxzy
Many expected the signings of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard would to do the trick. However, this experiment has not worked well. Russ has been a shadow of himself from the last season and is on the way to having the worst possible year of his career. He is averaging 18.3 PPG, which is the fewest he has ever had since his sophomore season.
Melo has been a bench player and although he has done a good job from there, his performances have not turned the season for the Lakers and the same is the case with Dwight Howard.
Anthony Davis, a top talent, has missed a lot of games this season and just before the All-Star break suffered yet another injury. He has not been able to contribute in the way he would like and this is another reason behind the Lakers' failure.
As a unit, the team has not clicked and this could very well be because it is the first year for many on the team.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis did not talk to Rob Pelinka about Lakers’ inaction on making trades, per @mcten
Reports that there was alignment on letting trade deadline pass were “totally false” https://t.co/EEZ5hb8I1j
However, having seen so many injuries and setbacks, the team should have tried to onboard some fresh legs to bolster the squad and help LeBron James.
Although the journey has not been good until now, one cannot rule out a turnaround. They do have some talented names and if they all start firing, the Lakers could still make some noise this season.