A new season of sports
James, are you coming really?
That's probably what the fans fear the most.
In an interview after practice, James replied, "No," when asked if he would exercise his $50.43 million player option for next season this offseason
Of course, although James did not make it clear that he would refuse, meaning it is not clear now. But this sentence is enough to make Jenny Bass look disgraced. In addition, James also refused to explain why he suddenly released an hourglass emoji that attracted infinite reverie from the outside world. In this way, it can be said that James has at least a 50% probability of entering the free market early this offseason, which means that the Lakers have at least a 50% probability of losing James for nothing this offseason. The Lakers can choose to bet this time and bet that James will stay with the team. You can also choose not to gamble, then grasp the initiative and speed up the progress before the trade deadline this year, that is, on February 9, to trade James in exchange for some ideal assets to avoid people going to tea and cold at that time.
In fact, a few days ago, at the end of January, Kevin O'Connor suggested that the Lakers send James away as soon as possible in exchange for some young stars who can pursue a young star like Doncic in the future. However, some reporters said that even if James really intends to leave, the Lakers cannot take the initiative to send away a superstar with such status in NBA history to avoid damaging the team's reputation. Some people may ask, why did the 39-year-old James, at the end of his career, still have rumors of leaving the team, and may even leave a team like the Lakers? The reason is simple, one is to play with Bronny, who is likely to enter the NBA this year, and the other is to continue chasing championships.
If the Lakers don't have any action before the trade deadline, then with the current roster, it will be difficult for the Lakers to compete for a championship this season. In addition, the Lakers have not committed to it at the moment, and they are sure to get Bronny in the draft.
So the question is, if James is really sure to leave, then the next stop? Among them, the Knicks' voice is quite high. First of all, New York is extremely high, the Knicks have money and strength, and they have 8 first-round picks in their hands, which can fully meet any requirements of the Lakers. Moreover, the Knicks have a record of 32 wins and 17 losses so far, ranking third in the East, and not far from the Bucks, who are second in the East.
If this Knicks have James joining, maybe they can really be among the favorites to win the championship. Because don't look at the Knicks' good results this year, but they still lack a supergiant that is the final word. As a result, not many people now think they can make it all the way through the playoffs this year. And James, who still has good combat power and rich experience at this stage, may be able to make up for the shortcomings of the Knicks. And James also angrily praised Brunson, the current boss of the Knicks, saying that the latter's performance was phenomenal. And many years ago, when he was a child, Brunson took a photo with James. In addition, James said in 2010 that he had considered the Knicks.
Before joining the Lakers, the Knicks also pursued James vigorously. So, it's not too late to join. In addition, James does not have a trade veto, which means that the Lakers can send him to any team that can give them a satisfactory offer without James' consent. However, given James' current historical status, this possibility is not played.
But it's unlikely, and it doesn't mean there isn't a ......
So, do you think James will stay with the Lakers, or will he fight again at the end of his career?