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Dave McMenamin
With the NBA trade deadline approaching and several teams considered to be potential future destinations for LeBron James reportedly involved in talks to acquire star-level talent, James is still expected to finish out the season with the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told ESPN on Tuesday.
James’ longtime friend and agent, Klutch Sports CEO, Rich Paul, said on his «Game Over» podcast in December that James would not be seeking a trade and would finish out his record-setting 23rd season in L.A.
«No,» Paul said on an episode of the podcast released Dec. 9. «Where is he going to go?»
James, 41, has a no-trade clause and would have to approve of any deal the Lakers could try to put together.
Since Paul’s December statement, the Lakers have dropped from No. 2 in the Western Conference to No. 6 and ESPN’s Baxter Holmes wrote a story published on Jan. 21 that detailed the strained relationship between James and Lakers acting governor Jeanie Buss.
Two days after that story was published, James was asked if he planned to finish the season with the Lakers and he replied: «I’m good … I’m good.»
James’ plans beyond this season remain unknown. He said last week that he does not know if he will retire this summer or not, but acknowledged the Lakers’ game in Cleveland «very well could be» his last in Northeast Ohio.
As the trade deadline nears, the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors – three teams considered plausible destinations for James should he decide to play next season — have all been in the news for their pursuit of big-name players.
The Warriors and Knicks have both engaged with the Milwaukee Bucks in trade discussions to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. And Charania also reported that the Cavs have interest in LA Clippers guard James Harden.
Yet if one of those major dominoes were to move, James would not be joining them on their new team, league sources told ESPN – at least not before the season is over, if at all.
