For LeBron James to join the Los Angeles Lakers, it could mean that the team needs to make a major NBA trade involving their young star Lonzo Ball. That’s the latest suggestion by one popular sports show host as the NBA trade rumors continue ahead of LeBron’s impending free agency. James will become an NBA free agent after this current season, and if the team keeps struggling with no chance of a championship in sight, he could be on the way out of Cleveland. If Magic Johnson wants to land LeBron, it could mean sacrificing the No. 2 pick from this past summer’s NBA Draft.
On a recent episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd , show host Colin Cowherd had NBA analyst Chris Broussard as his guest and they discussed the LeBron James to L.A. possibility. Broussard mentioned that he doesn’t think LeBron would want to join “a circus” in Los Angeles involving LaVar Ball. He went on to ask Cowherd if he would trade away Lonzo Ball if it could help bring LeBron James to the Lakers. Cowherd was steadfast in saying he would make the trade, sending away a possible future star in order to bring a multiple-time NBA champion and legendary superstar.
Stephen Curry edges LeBron James, Kevin Durant among NBA’s top-selling jerseys: https://t.co/yiJFImi0h7 pic.twitter.com/zDbbYFcD0g
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Cowherd contends that LeBron has the potential to remain a top 10 player for the next three to four seasons in the league, while he doesn’t believe Lonzo Ball will ever be in the top 10. To that point, Broussard made the interesting comment that he’s not sure adding LeBron would make the Lakers a championship team at this point in his career, but it would make them “relevant.” James would bring plenty of attention to Los Angeles and would be the type of magnet to draw other players to the Lakers. For that reason alone, he could be a good asset even as he may wind his career down.
For example, if the L.A. Lakers managed to get LeBron James, it could cause players such as Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, or other stars to want to join him there in pursuit of their first championship ring. James is an elder statesman of the league and one who other players trust the reputation of. As other stars move towards the second halves of their careers, they realize playing alongside a guy like King James could finally bring them that championship. The main competition for LeBron and most other teams right now remains the Golden State Warriors who are stacked with star power.
Still, the issue is that the Lakers would be trading away the unknown potential of a young Lonzo Ball for an older LeBron James as he approaches the downside of his career. Magic Johnson and the Lakers made the investment in Ball for better or worse with their No. 2 pick. Things landed just how they wanted them and Magic claimed that Ball is the face of the Lakers franchise moving forward. With his unselfish playmaking abilities, one would have to think Ball could also attract players to Los Angeles who want someone to dish the ball to them and make scoring easier.
It seems like Magic Johnson and company will need to weigh the present versus the future in order to decide if sending the “LaVar Ball circus” out of L.A. along with Lonzo Ball is the best move. LeBron James’ chances of winning more titles will be closing more with each season in this latter part of his career.
