LeBron James Addresses Lakers Trade Rumors Ahead of Mavs Visit
DALLAS - In DFW, we are Dallas Mavs-centric when it comes to experimenting with trade concepts that would cause the Luka Doncic-led locals to rise well about the .500 mark, which is where Dallas presently bobs.
The regal Los Angeles Lakers, is seems - Wednesday night visitors to the AAC - are no different.
Has LeBron James, for one, seen enough?
“No, I have not,'' James recently said. "So it’s impossible for me to say, ‘OK, when do we get to a point where we need to make a change?
"If any, I don’t think we even need to do that.''
That is a vote of confidence of sort from The King, but the fact is - relative to Dallas vs. L.A. - if the Mavs somehow win Wednesday's game, both teams will have 15 wins. (The Mavs would be at 15-13, the Lakers at 15-14.) Both teams would remain in the area of the sixth and seventh seeds in the West.
At this point, the Mavs - who have won two straight without the hobbled Doncic (knee) but hope to get him back for Wednesday - might feel like sixth place is an accomplishment. (That's with all due respect to Kristaps Porzingis, who has stepped up in Luka's place.) The Lakers? With LeBron, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook on the same team, L.A. isn't really built to be a second-tier team.
James emphasized that the Lakers need more time together and he praised the current roster, noting that he “loves every guy that’s in this locker room.''
Of course, long-time Mavs fans can relate, as is it the general position of owner Mark Cuban to be patient with his rosters ... and it is the well-established philosophy of departed GM Donnie Nelson that "we love our boys in blue.''
Dallas coach Jason Kidd, though, has made hints about the limitations of his roster, labeling it one not "built to play defense'' and noting that the Mavs are "a jump-shooting team.''
Do the Mavs need more time? Many vocal MFFLs seem to believe they've seen enough. (Ah, "Mavs Twitter.'')
Do the Lakers need more time?
"I love every guy that’s in this locker room, and I believe in what we’re capable of doing,'' LeBron said. "I love what ... the front office did to assemble this team and we look forward to the journey ahead of us.”
LeBron's journey continues in Dallas on Wednesday, a night pitting two teams trying to juggle "confidence'' about where they might go with "honesty'' about how hard it might be to get there.
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