The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be in turmoil. They may have finally found their head coach but they’re stuck paying a ton for Russell Westbrook and it doesn’t appear they’ll be able to retool their roster for next season.
Nick Wright of Fox Sports seems to have a solution to the team’s problems: trade superstar LeBron James.
"At this point the Lakers have to make a decision. If you are not willing to part with a 7th grader to be named later, then trade LeBron James instead. … You're not going to be able to thread the needle of competing for a title & keeping Russell Westbrook." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/QITe1c3eQJ
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 31, 2022
“At this point the Lakers have to make a decision. If you are not willing to part with a 7th grader to be named later, then trade LeBron James instead,” said Wright. “You’re not going to be able to thread the needle of competing for a title & keeping Russell Westbrook.”
Wright isn’t the only one who thinks the Lakers may be better off trading LeBron to another team. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith said the same thing a few weeks ago on First Take. Smith thinks the Lakers should just get some draft choices and move on without King James.
“It’s the only chance you have to be immediately respectable if you’re the Los Angeles Lakers,” Smith said about trading James.
“The Lakers should strongly consider trading LeBron James.”
🗣 Stephen A. Smith (having one of those days) pic.twitter.com/lqqqp9nfId
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 4, 2022
The Lakers missed the playoffs and finished 11th in the Western Conference this past season. A lot of the Lakers’ lack of success this season has been blamed on injuries and Westbrook’s lack of production.
The Lakers plan to keep Russell Westbrook. LA refuses to give up "additional assets" to send him out, per @TheSteinLine
Westbrook is expected to exercise his $47M player option for next season pic.twitter.com/jSRXRr2MP3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 30, 2022
Now the question is, what will management do to fix the team?
