This past offseason, there was a lot of talk about how LeBron James wants to finish his career and if it will be with the Los Angeles Lakers.
His agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports made it clear that James wants to compete for another championship and if they didn’t feel he could do that in L.A. then perhaps he would consider playing elsewhere.
No trade ever came close to happening though, and LeBron is now back in action for his 23rd NBA season and eighth with the Lakers after recovering from sciatica on his right side.
Even though things are currently going well for the Lakers at 17-6, there still has been some noise about James maybe asking out by the trade deadline in February if things go sideways. That won’t be happening though as on the first episode of his new “Game Over” podcast, Paul confirmed James will finish the season with the Lakers when he was badgered by Max Kellerman about a potential trade to the New York Knicks:
“No. Yeah, where’s he gonna go? … Does LeBron make the Knicks better? Yes, he would, of course, but 29 other teams would say the same thing. … The only way that would happen or could happen, first of all, he has a no-trade clause. So he would have to agree to that, in the event he didn’t and they just decide to trade him there. … Listen, it definitely makes them better, I will give you that. I don’t really play fantasy basketball, but he definitely makes them better.”
Things can always change between now and February, but Paul gave a firm no on James finishing the season with another team.
The Lakers don’t need any distractions right now so it is nice to see him clear that up, even though he did admit that James would make the Knicks and any of the other 29 teams better if they traded for him.
Recent reports have indicated that this could be LeBron’s final season with the Lakers, as he will have the ability to test free agency this offseason if he even wants to continue playing. It appears those discussions will be tabled to the summer, however.
LeBron James felt like himself in latest performance for Lakers
One reason why the Lakers won’t be trading LeBron James is he’s starting to round into form after a slow start to his 23rd season. He is coming off his best game of the year in the Lakers’ win over the Philadelphia 76ers and afterwards said he is starting feel like himself once again.
“At 40 years old, I mean, it just takes a while for my body to kind of get back into a rhythm,” James said. “And so it felt good tonight to kind of feel like myself a little bit.”
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