The NBA is a fast-moving business, teams make moves rapidly during the offseason as all 30 compete to put themselves in the best position for a championship. The aim is always to improve the roster, but if a team can do it by landing one of the game’s biggest names, that often goes a long way in pleasing the fans.
This also means that fans and the media are constantly speculating on potential movements from the league’s best. And that very much includes LeBron James, especially this season, with the Lakers struggling and all sorts of rumors flying around about tension between the King and their front office.
There is not a team in the league that would turn down the opportunity to get James and now Colin Cowherd has suggested the Miami Heat be the team to bring LeBron back to South Beach. His trade suggestion is quite comprehensive too and would cost Miami both in terms of depth and youth prospects that they are quite high on.
Before getting into the actual terms of the trade, it’s worth noting that Cowherd has quite the rationale behind this idea that the Lakers should find a way to move LeBron during the offseason.
“Los Angeles, the first part of it is that he (LeBron James) isn’t beloved in LA… Bron’s an outsider, they’ll move off you… This isn’t an anti-LeBron rant.
“Sometimes, change is not only inevitable, it’s a good thing. When the Lakers call, who doesn’t pick the phone up? People will pick it up. This would have been crazy to suggest 6 years ago, absurd 12 years ago, you couldn’t even whisper it 15 years ago. Now, it’s probably time.”
Colin Cowherd’s trade idea:
Miami Heat receive: LeBron James
LA Lakers receive: Tyler Herro, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and 3 first round picks
(Via @TheHerd ) pic.twitter.com/YkaU97WXd9
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 28, 2022
The Heat have pretty high hopes from Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson has already established himself as one of the best three-point shooters in the entire league. Kyle Lowry is an excellent veteran presence but likely a player they would mind least losing if it netted them someone like LeBron James in return.
Three first-round picks is a massive haul to give up though, and there is the consideration that James himself is in the twilight of his career and could soon go off to play for whatever team drafts Bronny.
There is no indication that either organization would be up to make a deal like this, but even if it were to go through, a rebuild means that the Lakers would have to accept another long championship drought, something that goes against the ethos of the franchise. As for the Heat, with the culture, they are building and the fact that they are currently the 1st seed in the East likely means they want to give this roster a real shot.
