LeBron James is clearly a superstar that isn’t in a good situation from a basketball standpoint. The Los Angeles Lakers are 14-21 heading into their game against the Atlanta Hawks, and an improvement is unlikely to come without a trade.
Though it is clear that LeBron James is unhappy with the Los Angeles Lakers at this point, he has refrained from asking for a trade thus far and has reasons to not request one in the future. A recent report from NBA insider Marc Stein revealed that LeBron James’ family thriving in California could “keep him” from asking to be traded in the future.
Family reasons and LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION, as we’ve noted here many times, were the true driving forces that prompted James to leave Cleveland for Hollywood in the summer of 2018. Those are believed to be the same forces that would keep him from urging the Lakers to ship him somewhere that he has an actual chance at ring No. 5. His oldest son Bronny is a high school senior. Another son, Bryce, is a high school sophomore. They’re budding prospects thriving in Southern California. James presumably doesn’t want to uproot them.
There is no doubt that LeBron James’ family is important to him, and their desires will likely play into any decision he makes in the future. Though championships may have been the No. 1 priority for him in the past, it is clear that there are other things at play as of right now.
LeBron James Cannot Be Traded Immediately Anyway
Even if LeBron James did want to get traded, that cannot happen this year. An NBA insider revealed that the superstar can’t get moved right now anyway, because of “the date he signed his extension” and “how much it was for”.
This is not because of a no-trade clause James could waive or any other contractual restriction that the team or he could get around. Instead, the Lakers are actually restricted from trading James because of the date he signed his extension (Aug. 17) and how much it was for (two years, $97.1 million).
That second number means that James will be getting $46.9 million for the 2023-24 season, and $50.6 million in the ‘24-’25 campaign, which are more than 5% raises off of his current salary. And, as Bleacher Report cap expert Eric Pincus explained in a post for Sports Business Classroom earlier this year outlining who can and cannot be traded (and when) after an extension, the NBA bylaws prevent James from being dealt this season as a result:
When a veteran signs an extension, the size and length of the extension determine trade eligibility. Teams are permitted to extend-and-trade players, but such extensions are limited to no more than a five percent raise and two additional seasons. Anything larger, like LeBron James’ extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, includes a six-month no-trade restriction. James signed on August 18 and six months puts his trade eligibility past the February deadline.
Of course, LeBron James could still end up getting traded this off-season to a contending team. However, it is unclear if the Los Angeles Lakers would even entertain the idea of moving him.
Hopefully, things won’t come to a LeBron James trade. The Los Angeles Lakers could still make a few trades and become a competitive team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and we’ll see what happens in the future.
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