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Wondering what that spot could be? It’s a franchise that’s never been mentioned in the discussion before. According to Steve Bulpett, an unnamed NBA trade executive recently told Heavy, “The one place that I don’t hear a lot of talk about with LeBron is Sacramento.” Now that dropped from nowhere.
Explaining what led to such a conclusion, the exec said, “He could change them, and they might have the kind assets to make a trade work. They have a lot of young talent, and because they’re a small market, they haven’t spent like drunken sailors.” The only big trade the Kings made this summer was acquiring DeMar DeRozan from the Bulls. So, they could spend a bit more without violating the CBA rules. “They have some draft picks a young talent. If they could get to the salary, LeBron would take (De’Aaron) Fox and (Domantas) Sabonis and elevate the hell out of them — particularly Fox. With that threesome, those guys could be a force,” the exec. claimed.
The Kings do have a solid roster, with standouts Fox and Sabonis in top form. Adding LeBron to the squad could create a powerhouse that would be a serious threat to the other 29 NBA teams. And that’s not it. There’s an additional bonus for the James family as well. The source added, “He could live in L.A. and play in Sacramento, no doubt about it.”
Amid the growing list of potential suitors, there is someone who believes, LeBron doesn’t need to move anywhere and stay his “a** in LA.”
NBA analyst feels LeBron James is undeserving of a move
Well, that’s none other than Stephen A. Smith. Setting aside his usual beef, the analyst highlighted two major decisions that stand in the way of LeBron James’ trade for him.
This came after rumors circulated about the Warriors showing interest in the 39-year-old. Stephen A. straight away declared, “LeBron doesn’t deserve it.” He clarified that his statement had nothing to do with LeBron’s performance. So, what’s it about? According to Smith, it’s the bad decisions by LeBron that caused the Lakers’ some vital damage.
The first factor he mentioned on the Stephen A. Smith Show was the decision to bring Russell Westbrook to the Lakers, which involved letting go of key players from their 2020 championship squad, like Kyle Kuzma, Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. “And you traded a few of them along with a pick to get yourself Russell Westbrook,” Smith said. Westbrook is undoubtedly a great player, but Smith considers his stint with the Lakers as his “worst version.” This led him to remind his viewers, “Why was he there?” and then simply answered, “LeBron got him there.”
via Imago
Whereas, the other factor was the decision to replace the Lakers’ ex-head coach, Darvin Ham, with LeBron’s former podcast partner, JJ Redick, highlighting the kind of influence LeBron has. Before finalizing Redick for the role, the franchise had extended talks with Huskies HC Dan Hurley. But it didn’t work out as the 51-year-old rejected the offer. However, Stephen A. questioned, “Is it possible that you didn’t want them bad enough because you really wanted JJ Reddick all along? And you just wanted to create and manipulate a narrative where that’s not what it is or that’s not how it looked.”
Despite the Lakers clarifying that LeBron had no role in Redick’s hiring, Stephen A. Smith remains unconvinced. “Of course, you had something to do with this,” he stubbornly stated. So, Smith believes LeBron shouldn’t make a move, as his influence played a part in the mess in Los Angeles.
Amid all the noise surrounding LeBron, he extended his rest, which only fueled the buzz even more. Whether LeBron will continue to sport the Purple and Gold jersey or opt for a different one can only be known when the superstar makes up his mind.
