Lakers: Writer Suggests LA Could Trade LeBron James For Role-Player Depth
Los Angeles Lakers All-Star power forward LeBron James is clearly frustrated with his club's erratic 21-25 start to its 2022-23 season. Though he can't be traded this season due to a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension he signed with the club ahead of the year, James becomes trade-eligible this summer.
David Aldridge of The Athletic writes that several teams could work as possible trade partners for LA, should James demand an offseason change of scenery.
One interesting candidate for a potential deal is the Philadelphia 76ers, who, even with All-NBA center Joel Embiid at the helm, have been victim to seemingly perennial second-round exits in the Eastern Conference.
Should The King demand to be shipped out of town, Aldridge thinks the Sixers have the kind of assets to make a deal appealing to both sides. He suggests Los Angeles offload the 18-time All-Star to Philadelphia in exchange for promising young score-first combo guard Tyrese Maxey (recently moved to the bench in favor of De'Anthony Melton, a better defender), the contract of starting 76ers power forward Tobias Harris, defense-first swingman Matisse Thybulle (who, as a restricted free agent, would need to be moved in a sign-and-trade agreement), and one of the Sixers' three 2023 second-rounders.
Considering that the Lakers are giving up, you know, LeBron James, I don't think they would settle for anything less than at least one unprotected future first-rounder, and probably the ability to swap an additional future first.
