The Lakers had a quiet trade deadline.
The NBA trade deadline was on March 9th. After that date, teams can no longer add to their roster through trades for the rest of the season. As a result, many teams made aggressive moves to add depth.
For example, the Dallas Mavericks acquired P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford on this day to fill their weaknesses, while the Oklahoma City Thunder, third in the Western Conference, added Gordon Hayward to their roster.
While their rivals bolstered their roster, the Los Angeles Lakers, 토토사이트 who had been the subject of numerous trade rumors, remained quiet.
The Lakers have been the subject of trade rumors since the beginning of the season. They’ve been linked to the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, and more recently, the Atlanta Hawks‘ Dejounte Murray.
However, Atlanta has consistently said that they want Austin Reeves, and the Lakers are unlikely to be able to move him.
Another factor is D’Angelo Russell, who has been playing well after a recent slump. Russell’s resurgence has solved the Lakers’ problem of scoring from the guard position.
The Lakers currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 27-26 record. Their current position puts them in the play-in tournament instead of directly into the playoffs. It’s a disappointing position, to be sure.
The person who should be most impatient is LeBron James. James is a veteran, born in 1984, who is approaching 40 years old. And yet, he’s still one of the best players in the NBA. He’s averaging 25 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game this season, putting up MVP-caliber performances.
He’ll want to make sure that he’s at the top of his game and that he’s able to win another NBA championship. James has consistently expressed his desire to win a championship in interviews.
That’s why James has been interviewed all season long about wanting more power. Even though James isn’t the head of the team, he’s a superstar with absolute power. That’s why he secretly pressured the organization.
However, the Lakers’ option was to do nothing. This is because the Lakers’ current strength makes it doubtful that they will be able to challenge for a championship even if they try to reinforce themselves. If the Lakers don’t win a championship, they lose both the present and the future.
The problem is that James will be a free agent after this season. James signed a two-year extension in the summer of 2022. However, the final season, the 2024-2025 season, is a player option, which means James can become a free agent if he wants.
Given the current state of the Lakers’ organization, it seems likely that James will leave via free agency. James’ son, LeBron James, could even be eligible for the NBA Draft next season. James has consistently stated that he wanted to play on the same team as his son.
All eyes will be on the Lakers for the rest of the season to see what butterfly effect their quiet trade market will have.