LeBron James raised some eyebrows for his candid comments during the postgame press conference following the team’s loss to the Miami Heat.
The Lakers were trounced 112-98, and James was the man doing the bulk of the scoring for the side with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. It wasn’t enough, and the side slumped to their fourth defeat in five games.
James’ thoughts suggested a veiled threat to the Lakers’ front office that he would leave if they failed to put the right pieces alongside him and Anthony Davis, who has been ruled out indefinitely due to a stress fracture in his right foot.
Following the bombshell press conference, NBA analyst Harrison Feigen of Silver Screen And Roll explained why the veteran could not be traded immediately. He opined that Los Angeles cannot ship James for the entire season even though Spotrac says he can be traded in February 2023.
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.
Quite simply, the best chance for both parties to ask for or make a trade is the next summer, and there has been chatter that should the Lakers continue to slump, they might not have the superstar suiting up for them next season.
LeBron James Lambasts The Lakers Front Office After Loss To Miami: “I Don’t Wanna Finish My Career Playing At This Level”
Not the one to mince words, LeBron James was blunt when he took a shot at the Lakers’ front office. The site has been reeling with defeats primarily due to the lack of firepower on both ends of the court.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of the defeat, the 38-year-old said he was still competing for championships and was not sticking around just to play.
“I don’t wanna finish my career playing at this level from a team aspect,” said James after the game. “I still want to compete for championships. I know what I can bring to any ball club with the right pieces. I’m a winner and I want to win. And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships.”
“That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio. And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA. It’s not in my DNA anymore. So, we’ll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays over the next couple years.”
The Lakers’ management has been in the headlines for any trade market news, but the most startling one is their plan to continue the season without any moves during the trade window.
Only time will tell if the franchise can indeed look at adding talent that would help the side at least playoff contenders. The Davis-less side plays the Atlanta Hawks next.
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