After lofty preseason expectations, the Los Angeles Lakers stumbled to a 33-49 record, missing the NBA Play-In tournament. Questions linger around the team’s roster, which will likely need significant changes this offseason. Many are expecting a trade from Los Angeles.
One Lakers writer recently joined in on the speculation, suggesting a surprising move to deal superstar LeBron James. The Lakers would send James to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal and ’24 and ’26 firsts in the proposed move.
Such a blockbuster move would be the first time LeBron James has been traded aside from the sign-and-trade deal sending him from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat. It would also mark an end to an era in DC rife with speculation about a Beal deal.
For Washington, this would be a win-now move. Adding James, the Wizards would hope a pairing of Porzingis and Kuzma alongside him could elevate Washington to contention. LeBron only has one year left on his deal, so the Wizards would need to see results soon.
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Los Angeles, adding Beal, would hope that their spacing could improve next season, pairing Beal with Westbrook and Anthony Davis. Beal and Westbrook were teammates in Washington during the 2021 season and made the playoffs together. The two with a defensive star like Anthony Davis could be a compelling trio.
The Lakers writer suggested the trade only if LeBron James indicated he would leave after next season, which makes sense. If LeBron were on the way out, the Lakers would be wise to get some return for him. For one year of LeBron, though, it’s unclear if the return could be as significant as a star and two first-round picks.
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The Lakers will need to make a blockbuster move in one form or another to return to contender status. Moving James would be a considerable risk, but it could potentially disrupt the flawed chemistry in the roster for the better.
