The 41-year-old LeBron James is mulling over a potential 24th season in the NBA as he enters unrestricted free agency this summer. While most signs indicate that he would play for at least another season and likely run it back with the Lakers, his priority still remains to be on a championship-contending team.
Amid the rumors of two potential frontrunners in that discussion of where he goes if he leaves the Lakers, a third one has now emerged in Washington, the Wizards.
“While most of the mainstream media’s attention remains fixed on traditional destinations, the Washington Wizards are quietly positioning themselves as a compelling wildcard in the sweepstakes for LeBron James,” wrote veteran NBA insider Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson in his latest report.
“The gravity of Washington’s pitch centers around Anthony Davis. It is no secret around the league that Davis and James remain incredibly close friends.”
“However, Davis has been noticeably non-committal publicly regarding his long-term desire to stay in Washington. Compounded by a desire to keep their star happy and anchored in D.C., the Wizards organization could be feeling the pressure to make a major splash. Enter Trae Young”
“Sources on Trae Young’s side tell me that the Wizards point guard has been exceptionally vocal and adamant behind closed doors, trying to convince Davis to fully commit to the franchise. Young’s pitch is simple yet aggressive: he firmly believes that with the talent already on hand—and the potential additions they can make—the Wizards can genuinely disrupt the hierarchy of an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference.”
Initially, there were questions over whether Anthony Davis would stay with the Wizards in the long term. If Trae Young convinces him to stay with the Wizards, Washington would suddenly become an enticing landing destination for LeBron James to potentially compete for a championship.
The potential starting lineup with him on the Wizards, assuming they stay fully healthy, would truly be hard to compete with. Considering that they have the first overall pick for the upcoming draft, here’s what their potential starting lineup would look like.
PG: Trae Young
SG: AJ Dybantsa (the frontrunner to be the first overall pick)
SF: LeBron James
PF: Alex Sarr
C: Anthony Davis
So if LeBron James decided to leave Los Angeles, the Wizards are very well-suited to potentially be in the race to sign James and make a compelling argument for why he should head to Washington.
He spoke about the young Wizards team recently on his podcast as well, which showed that he is liking what he is seeing from this young team.
“I love the young kid from France, Sarr. Great touch and great feel for the game. Love the kid Kyshawn George as well, and the rookie Tre Johnson. They have some pieces, and for the first time in a few years, we can say that Washington has some pieces,” James said.
The duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James has already proven on the Lakers that when Davis is healthy, they can compete for a championship as they did in the 2020 Bubble. But with an aging LeBron James, replacing the backcourt talent they had with a star player like Trae Young could certainly be what a team needs to stay in contention.
At the end of the day, this postseason run for LeBron James has proven that while he can still be an elite contributor to a championship team, he is no longer capable of single-handedly carrying a team without another star player with him.
He ended this season averaging 21.3 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.2 rebounds while going 50.5% from the field and 31.9% from beyond the arc in 70 games played (60 games in the regular season and 10 in the playoffs).
I personally feel that James would still choose to stay close to his family in Los Angeles while playing with his son on the Lakers, since Bronny still has two more potential seasons left on his contract.
However, I would not be surprised if he decides to head to Washington. It would, in fact, be a story ending for him, just like Michael Jordan, another one of the greatest players of all time, will be retiring in their jersey.
