Is it worth trading LeBron for Zion?
Is it worth trading LeBron for Zion?
Last summer when the Lakers signed LeBron James every fan of the Californian team was happy about this decision. Now, one year later, Lakers are sitting on the 11th place in the West with zero chances of getting into the playoffs. We can find many objective reasons for this, a lot of players were hurt, they are in the first year playing with LeBron and others. But the truth is that the fans are starting to be impatient with Magic, Lebron, and the organization. It is clear that something has to be done and I heard a really interesting idea.
What if the Lakers trade LeBron James to the team that gets the first pick in order to acquire Zion Williamson? Let’s see the advantages and disadvantages of such a move.
First of all, LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He was such a force in the NBA, he won the MVP 4 times and he has 3 rings. Although he is 34 years old, he is still averaging 27.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 8.1 APG. Yes, LeBron James may be more sensitive to injuries but with such a player it is worth it. This season, James was left alone with a bunch of young guys and a bunch of veterans with different characters. Obviously, it was hard for him considering that he also had a tough injury. Therefore, if Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka manage to get Lebron one or two stars, the story will be different.
Now, let’s look at this from another perspective. LeBron James showed in the course of the season that he is human. Father Time is unstoppable and no one can defeat him. His age, one of his biggest advantages is also his biggest disadvantage. I don’t say that he can’t play anymore cause LeBron showed us this season that he is still incredible. All I’m saying is that this is the last part of his career. That’s why the Lakers should consider the future.
Therefore, if they could manage to trade LeBron to New York Knicks or whatever team gets the first pick it would get really interesting. Zion Williamson is a beast, he just took Duke on his back and qualified it to the Sweet 16. He is averaging 22.2 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 2 APG. Zion has a great ability to get inside, he has a lot of force and he can also shoot. That’s why I think that he will be a great player in the NBA.
So, if the Lakers get him then they would have an amazing talent on which they could build their future and they would be assured of his presence for at least the next 7 years. More than that, if they sign another superstar and some decent role-players this team would look amazing. I think they will be able to win two or three titles.
However, in both cases, with LeBron or with Zion the Lakers will need a few more additions on the roster. The only difference is that with Zion you know that you have a lot of time left, while with LeBron you are fighting against Father Time. I don’t know if this move is possible, I think that LeBron has a no-trade clause but it would be really interesting to see this happen.
