The Los Angeles Lakers could try to trade one of their All-Stars, according to an NBA analyst.
LeBron James’ Lakers have been pretty quiet during the NBA offseason.
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Los Angeles made headlines with the 2024 NBA Draft second-round selection of Bronny James – LeBron’s son.
But other than adding Bronny and their first-round pick, Dalton Knecht, the Lakers haven’t signed any NBA contracts.
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus believes the Lakers could “retoole” and by that he means sending D’Angelo Russell to the Charlotte Hornets in a three-team trade.
Pincus proposed a deal in which Los Angeles traded Russell, Christian Wood, Cam Reddish and Jalen Hood-Schifino to the Hornets and received Tree Mann and Nick Richards in return.
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Utah Jazz clears the way in the proposed trade and sends their second-best 2025 first-round pick to the Hornets and gets Vasilije Micic back.
Pincus argues that Los Angeles trading four players for two helps with roster construction.
The Lakers would also add more salary cap space as a result of the trade.
The Lakers currently have a full 15-player roster and just $45,000 in cap space to work with.
The BR writer then wrote that the Lakers could then sign free agent point guard Markelle Fultz.
Los Angeles would add Richards, a 26-year-old 2.10 center who averaged 9.7 points per game last season, and Fultz, who he believes is the best free agent point guard available.
The Lakers would lose Russell, who shot 41.5 percent from downtown while averaging 18.0 points and 6.3 assists.
Still, Russell continued to appear in trade rumors due to his $18.7 million salary.
LeBron reportedly discussed with the Lakers a “substantial pay cut” to add a star like Klay Thompson or DeMar DeRozan.
But Thompson signed a three-year contract with the Mavericks and DeRozan was traded to the Sacramento Kings as part of a sign-and-trade deal.
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LeBron proceeded to finalize the max contract.
Russell is likely to still wear a purple and gold jersey under new head coach JJ Redick in the upcoming 2024-25 season.
He still has one year left on his contract.
James has other things to worry about at the moment as he hopes to guide Team USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
The US will take over France in the gold medal game on Saturday.
LeBron is eyeing his fourth career Olympic gold medal.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
