Getty LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers has become a serious topic of conversation in recent weeks as the purple and gold continue to stutter their way through the season.
According to The Ringer’s Michael Pina, the Phoenix Suns could be a potential landing spot for LeBron should he choose to end his tenure with the Lakers at the end of the current season.
the last prediction in here is for every suns fan who hasn’t had a good time watching this suns game
“With his family rooted in Los Angeles, flights to and from Phoenix are only an hour. James Jones is a teammate he won three championships with. LeBron would finally get to play with Chris Paul, a long-time close friend, and Devin Booker, a pure scorer whose on and off-ball fit makes plenty of sense…LeBron is more likely to stay in L.A. than not, but if he asks out this summer, the Suns are a convenient place for him to end his career without losing face,” Pina wrote.
The Suns currently sit 8th in the Western Conference and will undoubtedly be looking for ways to improve their roster and maximize their chances of bringing a championship to Phoenix. Furthermore, the Suns have enough draft capital to entice the Lakers to the negotiating table and could be the catalyst for them entering a much-needed rebuild.
LeBron James Has Family Ties In Los Angeles
While there is clearly a chance that LeBron will look for new opportunities at the end of the current season, it would appear that he’s far more likely to remain with the Lakers for the foreseeable future.
According to a December 30 report by Marc Stein, LeBron’s family is settled in Los Angeles, and that could have a significant impact on his remaining with the Lakers long-term.
On his 38th birthday … column on watching Year 20 LeBron James:
“Family reasons and LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION, as we’ve noted here many times, were the true driving forces that prompted James to leave Cleveland for Hollywood in the summer of 2018. Those are believed to be the same forces that would keep him from urging the Lakers to ship him somewhere that he has an actual chance at ring No. 5. His oldest son Bronny is a high school senior. Another son, Bryce, is a high school sophomore. They’re budding prospects thriving in Southern California. James presumably doesn’t want to uproot them,” Stein wrote.
Lakers Need to Make a Decision
Regardless of whether the Lakers wind up trading LeBron this summer, it’s clear that Rob Pelinka and the front office need to make a decision. Either the Lakers double down on their current core and make the necessary trades to put them back into contention, or they accept that things aren’t working and they need to hit the reset button.
Lakers gotta convince Lebron of a trade. Let him have say in where. Pay the trade kicker. Get picks out of it.
Rebuild era begins.
Both approaches have their merits and their drawbacks, yet neither is worse than their current decision to stand pat and do nothing. With an injured Anthony Davis, a frustrated LeBron, and a Russell Westbrook on an expiring contract, the Lakers have all the tools they need to control their own destiny; they need to have the conviction to choose a path and stick to it.