LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
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LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Sooner or later, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ partnership with LeBron James will come to an end. The 41-year-old superstar is in the final year of his current contract.
LeBron could leave in free agency, retire or potentially be moved ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, although the latter seems unlikely. Nevertheless, Bill Simmons appears to be intrigued by a potential LeBron for Karl-Anthony Towns trade between the Lakers and the New York Knicks.
In a Jan. 21 episode of “The Bill Simmons Show” podcast, the veteran analyst explained his thought process.
“I say this tentatively, I’m not happy about it. LeBron for Towns is sitting there,” Simmons said. “…If you’re the Knicks, just trying to get out of the Towns contract before it gets crazy. If you’re the Lakers, this is a pretty interesting guy to put with Luka. I’m not going to war with Luka, Towns, and Reaves together. I don’t have to worry about getting nothing from LeBron a year from now.”
Simmons then continued by outlining some of the negative impacts that the deal could have on the Knicks.
“If I’m the Knicks, it’s like, well, this will be weird with Brunson and LeBron, and you know, all of a sudden I don’t have a center. I’ll have to rely on Mitchell Robinson. There are all these other variables that are opening up. It’s just fundamentally a pretty interesting basketball trade.”
It’s highly unlikely that Los Angeles would trade LeBron midway through the season. However, the allure of pairing Luka Doncic and Towns together could see Rob Pelinka at least explore the concept.
Lakers Have Previously Considered A LeBron Trade
According to a wide-ranging report from ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, the Lakers have previously considered parting with LeBron James.
“In 2022, in the aftermath of the Westbrook trade, multiple people said Jeanie privately mused about not giving James a contract extension and, later that year, even about trading James, with the LA Clippers floated as a possibility,” Holmes reported. “(This was before James received a no-trade clause in July 2024 after signing a new two-year, $104 million contract.)”
That same no-trade clause could make moving LeBron difficult, as he would need to agree to waive it before a deal with New York could be struck. However, perhaps he could be drawn to helping the Knicks bring a banner to Madison Square Garden for the remainder of the season.
LeBron James Tipped To Leave Lakers This Summer
During a recent episode of FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back,” DeMarcus Cousins suggested that LeBron could leave the Lakers this summer.
“Do I feel like he finishes his career in LA? I don’t,” Cousins said. “My gut tells me he finishes in Cleveland. I think it just makes sense. That’s where his story starts, obviously that’s where he’s from. I think that’d be the first team to hang his jersey up. It just makes sense for him to end his career in Cleveland. ”
A midseason trade to the Knicks is certainly a stretch. Simmons admitted as much during his podcast. However, LeBron leaving the Lakers during the summer and controlling how his story ends feels logical.
Whether that means a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers or a quiet bow-out from the league will remain to be seen.