Los Angeles Lakers forward and the NBA's all-time leading scorer LeBron James was predicted to be one of the next superstars to request a trade, according to ESPN's NBA insiders.
With 25 total votes from the selected insiders, James received six points, predicting that he will soon request to head elsewhere. He finished third in the rankings behind Zion Williamson (10 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (seven points).
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Insider Tim MacMahon discussed what the situation has been like in LA this offseason.
"It has been radio silent since James, via his agent Rich Paul, attempted to rattle the Lakers' cages immediately after exercising his $52.6 million player option for this season. The all-time leading scorer and his camp understand just how complicated a trade involving him - at his age, making that much money, with the contractual right to veto any deal - would be."
As MacMahon stated, a would-be deal would be increasingly intricate given the value that James can bring, both on and off the court. His salary for his on-court actions, however, is quite sizable as well.
The King will be making $52.6 million this season and is turning 41 years old at the end of December.
For an unprecedented player such as James, a potential deal would be hard to measure. Although James showed no signs of slowing down last season, averaging 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game, the risks are understandable, as there are no guarantees how much longer his illustrious career will go.
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As for potential reasons to even request a trade, a glaring one comes in the form of superstar teammate Luka Doncic. As the two prepare for their first full season together, the Lakers have made it clear that they are moving in the direction of the 26-year-old from Slovenia.
It makes sense to opt for the focus of the franchise to be towards the younger, up-and-coming player, but if James feels that his best chance to compete for a championship isn't in Los Angeles, perhaps the ESPN insiders who predicted an imminent request will be right.
After it was announced that James would exercise his player option this past June, his agent and CEO of Klutch Sports Rich Paul gave a somewhat ominous quote regarding the future.
"LeBron wants to compete for a championship," Paul told ESPN. "He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.
"We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him."
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