Getty LeBron James at the 2022 NBA All-Star game.
After a rocky first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James settled in with the team and grew to love them. He made that clear during and after the team’s championship run in 2020. It looked like a match made in heaven and that LeBron would finish up his career in Los Angeles.
Unfortunately, there are real kinks in the armor that are starting to show. During the recent All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Ohio, LeBron did everything he could to make the Lakers sweat. It’s now starting to look like the relationship between the two sides isn’t as strong as previously thought. A lot can happen between now and the end of the season but things aren’t great right now.
Similar to the situation in Los Angeles, the Portland Trail Blazers could have to face a harsh reality with their superstar player. Damian Lillard has been as loyal as any player in the NBA. He’s made it clear that he loves Portland and wants to win a championship there. At this point, that’s not likely to happen. The team just traded away CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans and it might be best for Lillard to get a change of scenery.
Dwight Jaynes of NBC Sports Northwest floated the idea of the Lakers and Trail Blazers agreeing to a Lillard for LeBron swap.
Seriously, Blazer fans, ponder this: what about a Lillard-for-LeBron trade this summer? You trade the last three or four years of Dame for one year of LBJ with Ant and Nurk.
ALL the latest Los Angeles Lakers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lakers newsletter here!
Would LeBron Play in Portland?
This deal would actually make a bit of sense for the Lakers. Lillard would be a great fit next to Anthony Davis due to his shooting ability. Those two could form one of the better duos in the NBA. He’s also only 31, which is six years younger than LeBron. He won’t have the longevity as LeBron due to his smaller size but he should be one of the best guards in the league for at least a few more years.
However, there’s a serious flaw in Jaynes’ proposal: LeBron isn’t going to want to play in Portland. The only way he’d willingly go to the Trail Blazers is if his son Bronny is drafted by them. That can’t happen until 2024 at the earliest. If LeBron decides to leave Los Angeles, it’s hard to see him going anywhere outside of Cleveland, New York or possibly back to Miami. He’s not going to go to a small market team unless he’s got a strong connection there.
What About Davis for Lillard?
A more feasible scenario would be the Lakers trading Davis for Lillard. LeBron has wanted to play with Lillard in the past and two would form a great duo. Lillard has the killer instinct that Davis sorely lacks.
Plus, this is a much more appealing deal for Portland. Instead of getting an aging LeBron in a contract year, they get a 28-year-old superstar on a longer contract. Davis is a piece that the Trail Blazers can build around. Chauncey Billups is a defensive-minded head coach and Davis remains one of the best defenders in the NBA. It could end up being a strong pairing.
READ NEXT: Lakers Lose out on Sought-After All-Star Free Agent to Contender: Report