Rival teams are reportedly bracing for at least the possibility LeBron James will request a trade out of LA.
Plus a contender is eyeing a key roster upgrade.
Catch up on all of the latest whispers in our NBA Rumour Mill!
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TEAMS PREPARING FOR POTENTIAL LEBRON TRADE
Is a split looming between LeBron James and the LA Lakers?
According to Heavyweight.com’s Sean Deveney, multiple NBA teams are “at least preparing for the possibility” the 38-year old James will hand in a trade request next off-season.
“According to executives around the league, multiple teams are at least preparing for the possibility that James will seek to force a trade this summer as he, having just turned 38, looks to finish his career in a winning environment,” Deveney wrote.
“And unlike this past off-season, in which teams were blindsided by the trade demand lodged by star forward Kevin Durant on the eve of free agency, front offices around the NBA will be prepared for James’ potential move.”
It comes after a frustrating couple of years in LA as the team has struggled since its 2020 championship run, with its seasons ending in a first-round playoff loss and post-season absence respectively.
Earlier this campaign, the Lakers looked set to miss the playoffs again after a dire 2-10 start, but they’ve gone 17-11 since including a current five-game winning streak to push into play-in territory despite Anthony Davis missing the last 12 contests with a foot injury.
James, who signed a two-year, $97.1. million extension with LA last off-season and has a player option for 2024/25, has been critical in that turnaround.
He’s averaging 29.1 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.7 assists this season including going at 38 points per game since turning 38 on December 31 during a period where LA has gone undefeated.
James recently said he wasn’t sure how much longer he plans on playing in the NBA for, but admitted playing basketball without winning isn’t in his DNA.
There’s been ample discussion as to whether the Lakers could make a move for win-now pieces between now and the February 10 trade deadline, with James insisting it’s not his job to worry about roster decisions.
It’s unclear if James is completely on the same page with the organisation, or if he’s indeed weighing up his options for the future.
CAVS EYEING HARDAWAY, BOGDANOVIC
Dallas Mavericks’ Tim Hardaway Jr. and Detroit Pistons’ Bojan Bogdanovic are both on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ radar, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.
Fedor revealed on the Please Don’t Aggregate This podcast with Jake Fischerboth players are atop the Cavs’ wish list, although they face competition for Bogdanovic with the likes of the Phoenix Suns and LA Lakers.
“Tim Hardaway Jr. is somebody that the Cavs have been watching and they‘ve been keeping an eye on. And I think if the Cavs had their choice, it would be very very close… If they had their choice, it would be between Bojan and Tim Hardaway Jr,” he said.
The Pistons won’t let the 33-year old Croatian go easily though, with Fischer reporting the team is hoping to get a first-round pick and “either a young player with upside or additional draft capital.”
Fischer also revealed that a framework of Hardaway for Caris LeVert already exists after the Mavericks tried to acquire him from the Brooklyn Nets before he was sent to the Indiana Pacers.
It comes as Bogdanovic is producing a career-best season for the NBA-worst 11-32 Pistons, averaging 21 points per game on 48.6 per cent shooting from the field and 41.8 per cent from downtown.
Hardaway is meanwhile averaging 13.8 points per game For Dallas.
Both players would be valuable offensive upgrades on the likes of Lamar Stevens and Isaac Okoro on the Cleveland wing to add more scoring punch.
