Would LBJ really demand a trade out of town though?
If your Los Angeles Lakers continue to head south through the rest of the 2022-23 NBA season, would All-Star forward LeBron James really demand to be dealt out of the City of Angels? He has certainly voiced his displeasure with the current state of affairs recently, in multiple seemingly irritated postgame conversations.
And if so, would the Toronto Raptors be interested in bringing his talents to Jurassic Park?
Sean Deveney of Heavy.com spoke with several rival team executives about what kinds of moves the Lakers could — or should — make, with the February 9th trade deadline looming and LA struggling at 19-22. One exec pitched the Raptors as a fascinating destination, with plenty of tradable pieces that could prove appetizing to a suddenly-rebuilding Lakers club.
“Well, we know [Raptors team president] Masai [Ujiri] is willing to take a big risk if it gives him a chance at a championship, and if you drop LeBron in with Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes, you’d have to like their chances to win the East, depending on what else Toronto does. It worked with Kawhi [Leonard] and if there is a real chance at getting LeBron, it could work with him, too.”
Deveney writes that OG Anunoby, a terrific two-way wing known as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, would be probably the first big trade chip Toronto would offer, but notes that two other veterans, Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., would need to opt in to the final years of their respective contracts to be dealt. Otherwise, both players could become free agents this summer. Because the 2023 class is no great shakes, it might behoove both players to bet on themselves and try to fetch a deal elsewhere, unless Los Angeles could specifically entice them (although, again, LA could also just sign them in free agency if it managed to move James elsewhere).
Deveney ultimately lands on a deal that would ship out VanVleet, Anunoby and power forward/center Chris Boucher to Los Angeles for LeBron James.
