LeBron James has been the subject of trade speculation throughout the offseason, but his agent, Rich Paul, has uncovered rumors surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers.
For the first time in his career, LeBron James will choose to be the final year of his contract and will work with the Los Angeles Lakers next season at a price of $52.6 million.
Of course, there are still months left in the offseason, so James could be traded, with the Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and recently the Denver Nuggets all linked to him.
However, if he matches his salary, any suitor will make a massive effort. And at the end of the day, even in the final year of his contract, James has more power than anyone in the league.
The other 29 teams may all have some interest in adding James, but where can he play and where can he end his career.
Unlike almost everyone else in the league, James has no trade clauses and for some reason he can refuse a transaction without him. The Lakers have yet to formally ask him to approve the trade, and his agents have made it clear that he is not trying to do it.
“The guy has a never-ending clause at the end of the story,” Rich Paul said. “He has no trade clauses. It’s up to him. He has no trade clauses. So if a player has no trade clauses and the team wants to exchange that player, that player is in his contract.”
His non-trade clauses are very well documented, and it appears that the number of landing sites suitable for him to waive his rights is limited, and so far it is clear that he will be staying in LA.
After the Lakers added Luka Donsic last season, the franchise direction is firmly in hand. James may be able to reject certain moves, but the core of James, Donsic, Austin Reeves, Louis Hachimura, DeAndre Ayton, Dalton Necht, Marcus Smart and Jake Lalavia is enough to compete.
The Lakers know they can win with James, so why would they want to trade him? At the end of the season, he becomes a free agent and the Lakers have the means to re-sign him. If he shows clear signs of a return, LA can walk him and go back to Donsic and reopening.
Since James arrived in LA in 2018, he has called for shots and to some extent held the organization hostage. His talent cannot be denied, but the franchise can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.