Getty Lakers stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook
In a May 27 column, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report predicted that the Los Angeles Lakers would lose their best player this summer.
Hughes, who covers the NBA for Bleacher Report, forecasts that LeBron James will request a trade from the Lakers this offseason.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have no promising young players likely to ascend, no depth, virtually no first-round picks to trade, no reason to believe Russell Westbrook will be better in his 15th season than he was in his 14th and no legitimate chance to contend—now or in the near future,” Hughes wrote. “Don’t you, LeBron James, think long and hard about engineering an exit?”
James has never requested a trade during his Hall of Fame career. He can sign a two-year extension with the Lakers this offseason. However, he may choose not to.
James Is Considering Playing out His Contract
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, James is considering playing out his present contract. The four-time MVP becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2023 under his current deal.
“Based on my conversations with people who have a strong sense of such things, it’s clear James is considering playing out this contract rather than signing a two-year extension this summer,” Amick reported on April 12. “If flexibility and freedom are the goals here, James (who is owed $44.4 million next season) could go back to the year-by-year approach he perfected in his second Cleveland stop.”
James will turn 38 in December 2022. He told reporters during his exit interview on April 11 that he remains committed to winning another championship with the Lakers. James led the purple and gold to the 2020 title over the Miami Heat.
“I came here to win a championship. And I want to win more. So I accomplished what I wanted to accomplish, but I’m still hungry for more,” James said during his exit interview. “I’m confident that this organization wants the same. That’s what this organization has always been about. … So I’ve done that. We’ve done that. But I want to do it again.”
The odds of James requesting a trade from the Lakers are extremely low. His two sons play high school basketball in Los Angeles and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on May 11 that James and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss are in a “good place” despite the team being a walking disaster in 2021-22.
Buss Won’t Trade James
Amick reported on May 5 that Buss won’t trade James this summer even if the King doesn’t sign an extension. James is eligible to sign a two-year, $97 million extension.
“If LeBron James ultimately decides against signing an extension with the Lakers in August, sources say Buss wouldn’t see his desire to play out the final season of his contract as a reason to consider trading him,” Amick reported. “Without an extension, James’ current deal will expire after next season (in which he’s owed $47.1 million).”
James appeared in 56 games in 2021-22. He averaged 30.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.2 assists. However, the Lakers went only 33-49 and missed the playoffs despite having James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.
James is a four-time champion and four-time Finals MVP. He’s two championships and two Finals MVPs away from tying his idol, Michael Jordan.