The Los Angeles Lakers do not look like much of an improved team from last season to this one. The organization had hoped that a new head coach would be able to lift a similar roster led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis to a better result than last year’s first-round exit.
However, 24 games in, the Lakers have a middling 13-11 record, have the 26th-ranked defense in the NBA and have the 14th-best offense in the league. None of those numbers inspire confidence for any sort of postseason run, especially in a dense Western Conference.
This leaves the Lakers with a big decision as to what they do at this season’s trade deadline if they continue to be a middle-of-the-pack team. Typically, a full-scale rebuild would be on the table, as a team with two aging superstars and very little chance at winning a championship, hitting the reset button could be the best choice for the franchise long-term.
It would be surprising to see the Lakers go that route, though, as they have yet to show a willingness as a franchise to intentionally rebuild or trade away superstars. Jovan Buha of The Athletic explains their reported line of thinking:
It’s highly unlikely. Historically, the Lakers aren’t a franchise that likes to rebuild. Each year, the objective is the same, no matter how ludicrous it seems from the outside: Win a championship. They want to prioritize youth and development under Redick in a way they previously haven’t (outside of the brief Baby Lakers before James arrived), but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to tear it all down.
There is also the matter of what James and Davis want. James just re-signed six months ago. Davis signed an extension last year. Things escalate quickly in the NBA, but indications thus far have been that both superstars want to figure this out and make it work in Los Angeles. Unless that changes, the Lakers aren’t going to decimate their status as one of the more star-friendly organizations in the league by coldly trading James or Davis.
With all that said, the Lakers like having two of the league’s best on their roster and don’t seem interested in doing anything to jeopardize their place in the NBA’s relevance conversation this season:
They will always be relevant because they are the Lakers, but employing James and Davis gives them a certain level of cachet and relevance. It wasn’t that long ago that things were bleak. It’s much more likely that the Lakers stand pat or make a small move than blow it up.
The smartest basketball move would likely be to at least gauge the market on James and Davis deals. But if the Lakers are unwilling to lose their star-friendly reputation or enter a full-scale rebuild, then there’s nothing to be done about that.
If James or Davis were to change their mind and ask for a trade, that would at least get the ball rolling on a new era of Lakers basketball, but it still likely wouldn’t mean a rebuild.
Lakers & Rich Paul would entertain LeBron James trade if he asks
The greatness of LeBron James and Anthony Davis has not been enough for the Lakers so far this season and many are waiting for Rob Pelinka and the front office to make a move to bring them closer to that goal.
Of course, there is also another route the Lakers could choose to go down which is more of a rebuild.
Apparently, the Lakers would be open to the possibility if James wants. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins appeared on First Take to discuss the chances and said that if LeBron does ask for a trade, the Lakers would entertain it. He has a full no-trade clause so would likely get to pick his destination in this scenario, which is unlikely to happen.
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