Lakers News: ESPN Analyst Believes LA Would Entertain LeBron James Trade If Requested

Former NBA center and champion turned analyst Kendrick Perkins made a bold statement on ESPN's First Take on Tuesday morning.

While discussing Laker superstar LeBron James in a segment, Perkins said that the L.A. front office would consider trading James only if he requested it.

Here's what Perkins had to say on the matter.

"My sources tell me that if LeBron James at any point comes out and says that he wants to be traded or he wants to entertain it, they're going to entertain it. It ain't no holding him back."

"My sources tell me that if LeBron James at any point comes out and says that he wants to be traded or he wants to entertain it, they're going to entertain it. It ain't no holding him back."

- @KendrickPerkins pic.twitter.com/sJn0XXOLDN
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 10, 2024

The Lakers are in a rut as we hit the quarter-mark of the season. They have a 13-11 record, which is good for a spot in the play-in tournament.

After a hot start, the Lakers are regressing to the team many thought they would be this season. The only significant move the Lakers made this past offseason was hiring head coach JJ Redick.

The front office failed to make any moves and was in no control of their roster as many of their players from last year had a player option on their contracts.

James will turn 40 later this month, and the time is certainly ticking on his career. As we've seen already this season, he has already shown signs of slowing down, and the last thing he may want is to be on a team with nowhere to go.

While things may seem dire at the moment, the Lakers will be aggressive as we approach the always entertaining NBA trade deadline. The Lakers appear to be at the forefront of things, and they are expected to make not just one but multiple moves.

That's the expectation, but the reality is often far more disappointing. The Lakers have the draft picks and assets to play with, but if the other team doesn't budge, there's not much they can do.

James and his agency shut down the idea of a trade potential trade to the Golden State Warriors last year. If things continue to spiral for L.A., then expect the Warriors and possibly other teams to pick up the phone and call the Lakers.

If Perkins' sources are correct, the Lakers will be in a difficult situation and will have no choice but to trade away the future Hall of Famer. The only way the Lakers can avoid that is to play better basketball or eventually make a trade to bolster their roster, which desperately needs a change.

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