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Ever since LeBron James opted in the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, there have been talks about whether he could possibly request a trade from the team if they don't look like they're ready to compete for a championship. Rich Paul has let it be known several times that his client wants to compete, but he's also told people that he hasn't requested a trade.
In the latest update, Paul once again doubled down on the trade request speculation, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
“Paul also made it clear to me that LeBron has not asked for a trade,” McMenamin said during the Summer League broadcast. “And Paul hasn’t even discussed the possibility of wanting a trade in the future with the Lakers. Paul did tell me that four teams contacted him with interest in trading for LeBron. So now we wait.
“The Lakers have a full roster to have a decision to make on Shake Milton’s contract by July 20th. They also have three expiring contracts in Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, who’s here tonight, and Maxi Kleber, plus their 2031 first-round draft pick they can use in trade scenarios. Now, I asked LeBron just before tip-off if he’d like to join the broadcast to discuss everything, and he told me, quote, ‘I ain’t got nothing to talk about, guys.'”
As of now, it doesn't look like there should be much to worry about when it comes to the Lakers and James, but anything can happen.
What's next for the Lakers and James?
There have been reports that James has not been happy with what the Lakers are doing when it comes to the vision of the team, and it makes sense after seeing them not doing much during the offseason. James knows that his time may be coming to an end in the league, and he wants to maximize what he has left with a team that is ready to compete for a championship.
The Lakers made the big move to acquire Luka Doncic in the middle of last season, and it's obvious that he is the future of the team, but what's most important is what they plan on doing now.
With James opting into his final year, some think that he is making it be known that he could request a trade if the team is not aligned with what he wants to do.
