The Los Angeles Lakers have been trying to navigate offseason rumors that LeBron James might want to be traded this season. He clearly is not happy with several things the Lakers are doing.
James is still one of the best players in the game, but he is not happy with the fact that he didn’t know about the sale of the team or the fact that Luka Doncic is now the face of the franchise.
The Lakers are hoping that they can keep James around for as long as possible as they pursue another title. NBA insiders don’t seem to agree.
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Several NBA insiders believe LeBron James will request a trade
ESPN recently did a preseason poll on whether or not NBA insiders believe James will ask for a trade before next season ends, and they believe that he will.
Six insiders believe that James will be the next superstar to request a trade. Only Zion Williamson and Giannis Antetokounmpo were ahead of James on the list.
The Lakers are going to be a contender for the championship as long as James is still on the roster. That’s part of the reason why the Lakers don’t want to trade him.
Los Angeles is hoping to keep him on the team for this season. He is still likely going to play out the season, clearing the way for him to opt out of his deal before 2026-27 if he so chooses.
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LeBron James is still seen as a key player for the Lakers next season
James is going to be a key player for the Lakers if they want to have any chance of winning the title. Oklahoma City is still the best team in the NBA, and beating them is not going to be easy.
Having Doncic and James play as well as possible on the defensive end is going to be necessary for them to compete for a deeper playoff run than they had last season.
This past season, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. He shot 51.3 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.
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