Getty LeBron James drives to the hoop during a game between the LA Lakers and the Chicago Bulls.
What LeBron James has been able to do this season for the Los Angeles Lakers as a 38-year-old is unprecedented in the history of the league. To date, the GOAT candidate has averaged nearly 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per outing while shooting over 50% from the floor.
Between that continued viability as an alpha dog/cornerstone player and the comments he made earlier this season about wanting to play for a winner, fans of just about every team in the NBA have been burning up the trade machines in an effort to will LeBron to their home teams.
It’s no different for Chicago Bulls people. However, unlike the majority of the Association’s teams, the Bulls have the perfect storm of a big market, a chance to compete and the right trade assets to actually take a legitimate stab at LeBron.
Fool’s errand or not, we’re jumping on that indisputable truth and proposing a deal bringing the 18-time All-Star and four-time champ to the Windy City.
Trade Proposal Swaps DeMar DeRozan & More for LeBron James
It’s worth noting that, due to his recent extension, James isn’t actually eligible to be traded by the Lakers until several days after the league’s February 9 trade deadline. As such, a deal involving the Lakers star would have to take place during the summer, which muddies the water as far as which players will be available as trade pieces.
With that in mind, we’re rolling with the following:
- Los Angeles Lakers receive G/F DeMar DeRozan, G Alex Caruso, F Patrick Williams and a first-round pick in 2027
- Chicago Bulls receive F LeBron James
A player of James’ stature and production would normally require a larger return than this. But, given his advanced age and the Lakers’ overarching need to start laying the groundwork for their eventual rebuild/retooling, this feels like a fair package on their end.
In fact, with a core of Anthony Davis, DeRozan, the old Lakers fave Caruso and an up-and-coming Williams, Los Angeles may just be good enough to stay in the playoff mix while adding a couple of nice assets for the future.
For his part, Williams has the potential to be the wing that everyone wants — a lockdown ace with the ability to generate his own offense and floor-spacing chops. Meanwhile, that pick could be a nice one as LeBron will (probably?) have retired and Zach LaVine will be on the wrong side of 30.
The Bulls, meanwhile, would be formidable in the East for the next few years behind LeBron, Zach LaVine, an extended Nikola Vucevic and, hopefully, a healthy Lonzo Ball (who already has experience running the point for James).
The spacing would occasionally qualify as cramped, but it would be better overall sans the mid-range maestro DeRozan. At the least, James’ gravity on the offensive end would, in theory, open things up for the Bulls’ outside shooters.
And who knows just which players might come out of the woodwork with their desire to be a part of LeBron’s last big run.
Michael Jordan Card Fetches Ridiculous Sum at Auction
A 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan game jersey patch card — one of 23 that was signed by His Airness — sold for a whopping $840,000 at auction recently, as reported by TMZ. The Beckett-graded guard is unique in that it features a piece of Jordan’s game-worn jersey from the 1992 All-Star Game.
MJ scored a team-high 18 points and dished out five assists in the contest, but lost MVP honors to the returning Magic Johnson, who led the West to a blowout victory with 25 points, nine dimes and five boards.
“It’s a piece of history in that it was the very first time you could pull a game-used and autographed Michael Jordan card out of a trading card pack,” said PWCC’s Jesse Craig on behalf of the auctioneer.