The future of LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers is up in the air. LeBron has one more year under contract with the Lakers with early speculation that he will not work out an extension and instead take it year-by-year, as he did with the Cleveland Cavaliers in his second stint.
This is a way for LeBron to execute leverage over the Lakers, essentially threatening the team that he will leave if they do not bow to his demands. While it is a really hard thing to do, it might be better for the long-term implications of the team if they flip LeBron James if he does this leverage play over the team.
If so, one potential team that would probably welcome him home with open arms is the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron was eerily complimentary of Cleveland during the NBA All-Star Break and we know that James does not say things by accident. It might seem crazy now, but LeBron very well could have been planting the seeds. Him coming back to Cleveland and then ditching the Cavs for LA was shocking as well.
But what would a trade package look like if the Lakers did find the gusto to trade LeBron and the Cavaliers wanted to bring him home?
What a LeBron James trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers could look like?
Kevin Love has to be part of the deal because of his contract to make it match with LeBron’s. While Love has had one of the worst contracts in the league in recent years, it is an expiring deal, so it is much easier for the Lakers to take on.
If the Lakers are going to shop LeBron James there are likely going to be many suitors (potentially including the Golden State Warriors). So why would they say yes to this deal? Let’s break it down.