Leaked Audio: Lakers Secretly Negotiated Trade Deal for LeBron James for This Young Superstar

The Los Angeles Lakers have enjoyed having LeBron James on their roster for the last seven seasons. He helped them win the championship back in 2020 in the Orlando bubble.

James has been one of the best players in the NBA every year he’s been in LA, and next year likely won’t be any different. He just made the All-NBA Second Team last season.

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Rumors have been swirling around James all offseason that he might ask for a trade. One insider believes that the Lakers will eventually move him at some point this season.

Tom Haberstroh of Yahoo Sports predicts that the Lakers will trade James before the season ends, ending his Lakers career. He believes it will happen at some point before the trade deadline.

“LeBron waives his no-trade clause and OK’s a trade to the Cavs He’s coming home — again. It won’t be easy, but if the Cavs get off to a slow start, Darius Garland’s contract could be large enough to grease the wheels in a three- or four-team trade.”

Haberstroh’s bold prediction is something that fans of both teams have been floating around, although Lakers fans would prefer it if James stayed in Los Angeles.

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The Lakers would need James to lift his no-trade clause if any movement were to occur this season. The Cavs would also be giving up on a team that could contend for a championship.

It’s highly unlikely that the first big move that new owner Mark Walter wants to do is trade one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. That would be on his resume forever.

James has never been traded in his career, something that he is proud of. He is very sensitive about his legacy, and never asking for a trade helps him with that legacy. He likely waits until the end of the year to switch teams, if he does at all.

This past season, James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. He shot 51.3 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.