LeBron James trade rumors: NBA exec suggests Kings as landing spot for Lakers star | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

An anonymous NBA executive this week mentioned an unexpected potential landing spot for Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James should the Lakers decide to trade him.

In conversation with Heavy.com Steve BulpettThe manager mentioned the Sacramento Kings as a team that could potentially accommodate James and win with him, saying:

“The one place I don’t hear LeBron talk about much is Sacramento. He could change them, and they could have the wherewithal to make a trade work. They have a lot of young talent, and because it’s a small market, they didn’t spend like drunken sailors. They have some draft picks for a young talent. If they could match the salary, LeBron (De’Aron) Fox and (Domantas) Sabonis would get the hell out of them – especially Fox. With this threesome, these guys could be a force.

As was the case with James at times during his seven-year tenure in LA, some trade rumors and speculation have surfaced recently.

I’m talking about this week First recordingFormer NBA center and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins (h/t Corey Hansford of Lakers Nation) said sources told him that if LeBron wanted to explore a trade, the Lakers would allow him to do so.

However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN continued to say Stand up that James has given “no indication” that he wants to leave the Lakers.

Windhorst added that James prefers the Lakers to improve their roster before the February trade deadline so they can potentially be contenders for the Western Conference championship.

James, who turns 40 later this month, is the oldest player in the NBA, and while he has remained productive, his scoring numbers and efficiency haven’t quite been at the levels they normally are.

His 23.0 points per game is his lowest scoring average since his rookie year in 2003-04, and he is also shooting just 49.5 percent from the field, which is his lowest shooting percentage since 2019-20.

Still, James is more than capable of contributing to winning basketball, as evidenced by his 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game.

The Lakers are just two seasons away from reaching the Western Conference Finals, but they’re off to an uneven start this season at 13-11, which puts them in eighth place in the Western Conference.

Maybe there’s a world where James asks for a trade to a place he thinks he has a better chance of playing, although it’s fair to question whether Sacramento qualifies considering the Kings stand at 12-13.

A trio of James, Fox and Sabonis could potentially turn the Kings’ fortunes around, but they have only made the playoffs once since the 2005-06 season and haven’t won a playoff series since 2004, so they may not really have a realistic landing spot for one of the greatest players of all time.