There is no doubt that the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled this season. They are far away from being a championship team, and there is a chance that they will miss the playoffs entirely.
Despite their awful season, LeBron James has still been putting up insane numbers. Currently, LeBron James is averaging 29.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 6.3 APG. There is no doubt that he’s playing well individually, but unfortunately, the Los Angeles Lakers haven’t been able to capitalize on his fantastic season.
Amidst the Los Angeles Lakers’ struggles, there have been some suggestions that LeBron James should be traded. LeBron James is without a doubt the best player on the Los Angeles Lakers, and trading him in the offseason would likely get the franchise a huge haul in return.
Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal is wary of the idea, however, and he has cautioned the Los Angeles Lakers against trading LeBron James. He boldly claimed that the Los Angeles Lakers would never win again if they were to trade LeBron James. Jessica Golden of CNBC relayed the news.
Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal issued a stark warning to the Los Angeles Lakers Monday, saying despite an abysmal season, it would be a huge mistake to trade the team’s biggest superstar, Lebron James.
“If you trade LeBron, you’ll never win again,” O’Neal said of the Lakers in an interview with CNBC.
While the NBA trade deadline has passed, James’ contract with the Lakers expires in 2023. Some have suggested that trading James may be the quickest and easiest way to fix the team’s disconnect.
There is no doubt that one shouldn’t trade a superstar unless it is absolutely necessary. LeBron James is still a player that can take a team to the Finals as the No. 1 option with the right supporting cast. LeBron James may not be the unstoppable force he was in Miami or Cleveland, but he’s still a top-5 player in the league.
Hopefully, we see the Los Angeles Lakers figure out a way to improve the roster during the offseason. Perhaps we’ll see them return to contention next season, but it is clear that a lot of work will need to be done.
