ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently reported that LeBron James won’t leave the Los Angeles Lakers at this stage of his career.
However, with four mystery teams being interested in trading for the four-time NBA champion, could a blockbuster deal occur this summer?
ClutchPoints’ Bailey Bassett believes so, citing that James and his son, Bronny, could soon land with the title-winning Oklahoma City Thunder.
“James is one of the best NBA players ever and already has 10 NBA Finals appearances to his name,” Bassett wrote Monday.
“The Thunder, obviously, would also offer James a better chance to win one more ring than any other team in the league.”
“James is already 40 years old, and next season will be his 23rd season in the NBA. Nobody has ever played more than he has at the NBA level, so it would be smart to take some of the weight off of his shoulders before his inevitable retirement. The Thunder often go 11 or 12 players deep, so they could afford to give James the rest that he deserves.”
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“The Thunder have built their roster the right way, and they don’t need to make an all-in trade. However, James’ age means that it won’t cost an arm and a leg to acquire him, and the Thunder have assets to spare. If they want to trade for the Chosen One, then they will be fully capable of doing so.”
Bassett’s trade proposal sends the James clan to the Thunder for Isaiah Hartenstein, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, a 2026 first-round pick, and a 2026 first-round pick (via the Philadelphia 76ers).
The expectations were low for James and the Lakers before the midway point of the season.
Following an unimpressive 28-19 start to the year, many believed there was no hope for the franchise to enjoy an awe-inspiring championship run.
After executing a historic Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic swap, however, Los Angeles’ ceiling skyrocketed.
With Doncic helping the Lakers secure the first 50-win campaign since 2019-20 and earn a respectable playoff seed (No. 3), a championship was now in play.
Unfortunately, the Minnesota Timberwolves, who don’t possess a problematic center issue, annihilated Los Angeles 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs.
Rudy Gobert was remarkable for Minnesota in the final game of the series, recording 27 points, 24 rebounds, and two blocks while shooting 80% from the field in the Timberwolves’ 103-96 victory.
If James decides to demand a trade to a team with a sound foundation, the Thunder would likely be at the top of his list.
Oklahoma City won 64 regular-season contests last year and captured an NBA title after defeating the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling seven-game series.
The Thunder aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, which could motivate the 21-time All-Star to embrace a change of scenery next season.
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