One of the things people will be paying the most attention to during the 2024 NBA offseason is what happens with Los Angeles Lakers superstar, LeBron James. James is widely expected to decline his player option and hit free agency, where anything can happen.
NBA analysts and insiders have already hypothesized what those negotiations between James and the Lakers could look like. There is also a possibility that James departs, as he could look to fulfill his last goal of playing in the league with his son, Bronny.
Everyone has an opinion or guess as to how things could unfold for James in the offseason. In a recent appearance on UNDISPUTED on FS1, former NBA star Paul Pierce gave his opinion on the matter.
Pierce suggested that the Lakers engage in trade talks with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which would result in James having his third stint with the franchise. Those trade talks would be centered around Donovan Mitchell, setting up a huge blockbuster deal.
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“If [The Lakers] flame out & lose in the play-in, I would consider — if I was LeBron [James] — being traded back to Cleveland for Donovan Mitchell… Bronny gets picked up by [the Cavs] & Bron has his farewell world tour with his son,” Pierce said.
While the sentimental value of James going back to Cleveland and finishing his career there is something some people would love to see, this seems like an unrealistic deal. If the Cavaliers are going to trade Mitchell this offseason it will be to restock their war chest of assets; not deal him for James, who is nearing the end of his career.
Would swapping Mitchell out for James help the Cavaliers become more legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference? While Cleveland would be hesitant about this deal, Los Angeles would pull the trigger if it was what James wanted.
Mitchell would certainly be a nice long-term partner for Anthony Davis, as he is 12 years younger than James and only now entering his prime. He and Davis would be a nice duo for the franchise to rebuild around and it theoretically wouldn’t cost them nearly as much if James was part of the deal compared to the price of acquiring other stars to put around James and Davis.
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