“It felt damn good to play... It felt great to play meaningful basketball. Like, literally play for the highest level. We had two game sevens, back-to-back. One versus Serbia and then that last one versus France where it was like, ‘Oh, s***.’ This is why those text messages went out. This is why those calls happen. You know that that fire and desire was brought back to me, that I was like, ‘Okay, this is what it was all about.’ This is why we all came together, and called ourselves the Avengers. So to have that feeling again where you’re playing meaningful, real, every possession means something, if you make a mistake it burns you, things like that. That was good to relive that moment.”
That was LeBron James, before this season tipped off, talking about the energy he brought back from the Paris Olympics, where he won gold and was deservedly named tournament MVP.
The 13-11 Lakers are not playing for those kind of stakes. LeBron sat out his first game of the season Sunday night — the Lakers beat the struggling Trail Blazers without him — but his Lakers sit as the No. 8 seed in a crowded and deep West. Those Lakers have the 26th-ranked defense in the league, which is more likely to have them competing to get out of the play-in than for a title.
That has other teams wondering if LeBron might push for a trade, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on the Hoop Collective podcast.
“I would be lying if I said that there haven’t been some conversations in the league [about], ‘Would LeBron at some point this year revisit that?’ Because you remember last year at the trade deadline, the Warriors called.”
At the time, reportedly, the Lakers went to LeBron and asked if he would want that kind of a trade, and he said no. He wanted to remain a Laker and live with his family in Los Angeles.
There are a few reasons to think the answer would be the same now.
First, does anyone think LeBron is going to walk away from playing with Bronny James? Is LeBron going to say, “This has been fun and all son, but you’re on your own, I am choosing Stephen Curry.” That’s not how fatherhood works.
Second is the complexity of trading LeBron anywhere, specifically to the Warriors — both teams are in tight financial situations with the luxury tax and apron restrictions, plus the Lakers have zero reasons to tank. Windhorst got into that.
“But I just want to say a couple of things. First off, any trade that the Warriors make is gonna be complicated. [The Warriors] have only $500,000 that they’re allowed to spend more in this season. It’s first/second apron stuff — I know it’s boring. Any trade that they make, they really can’t take on more money. Guess what? The Lakers are not allowed to take on any money because they’re in the first apron. So, it’s possible if LeBron wanted it. Also, LeBron has a no-trade clause. Also, the Lakers don’t own their first-round pick. It goes unprotected to the Atlanta Hawks.”
Finally, there is the obvious (something else Windhorst got into): LeBron has had chances to leave the Lakers and has said no. He could have said yes when the Lakers approached him last February about the Warriors, but he shot down the idea. Then, this summer, LeBron was a free agent who could have tested the market, but instead, he re-signed with the Lakers — and got a no-trade clause. LeBron made sure he had complete control over his future and couldn’t go anywhere he didn’t want to go.
All indications are what he wants is to finish his career as a Laker. However much longer that will be.