9 days and 2 games later, LeBron James was finally back on the court and left with a welcome dub on Sunday night. The trade rumors are already swirling around about his potential move away from the unsteady LA ship. But a discouraging update has poured cold water onto that.

“I don’t see it,” Chandler Parsons said on the latest episode of Fanduel TV’s Run It Back show. “I think for this team to have any chance, he has to be healthy.” LeBron’s recent injury troubles have been a cause of concern already for the Lakers. Supporting him, co-host Lou Williams said, “In 21 years, you haven’t been traded. You’ve never requested a trade. Now is not the time, let’s not forget we’re 2 months removed from, this whole Bronny James situation with him being able to play with his son and having that opportunity.” He further speculated, “I would assume you would be in the trade with him (Bronny).”

LeBron James was given a leave of absence that saw him missing the Trail Blazers and the Timberwolves games. JJ Redick stated it was due to “personal reasons”. That was further confirmed by teammate, Anthony Davis in a post-game interview. “He’s dealing with some stuff”, the game-high scorer said. LeBron acknowledged that is dealing with an injury on his left foot that has been bothering him for a few years now.

“It’s an every day thing. … But I was able to do some great things (on my break),” the 39-YO said after the Grizzlies game. His 18-8-8 statline had some vintage LeBron plays, like the chase down block on Desmond Bane and an emphatic dunk before that. But still the question remains — is he fully fit? And even if he returns to peak condition, will the LA be privileged to see that with the trade rumors surrounding him?

LeBron James trade rumors don’t seem to stop

There’s a major chance for LeBron James to complete a significant feat before his retirement. The 4-time NBA champion can easily boast that he has never been involved in a trade in his 2-decade plus career. But let’s keep the retirement talk under the wraps. The only buzz surrounding the Lakers great is his future in LA. The news of LeBron declining a trade last season on the deadline is not a secret. The same speculations again floated, linking him to a move to the Warriors. But the latest Dennis Schroder move could mean, there won’t be any other significant moves in the Bay Area, at least not on a LeBron James scale.

“I would be lying if I said that there haven’t been some conversations in the league [about], ‘Would LeBron at some point this year revisit that?’ Because you remember last year at the trade deadline, the Warriors called,” Brian Windhorst recently discussed on his Hoop Collective podcast.

Apart from this, recent reports indicate an anonymous NBA insider proposing LeBron moving to the East with Orlando Magic. The Magic have been a team on the up recently, currently sitting pretty at the 4th spot on the Eastern Conference table. While the move immediately makes the franchise a title contender, it also provides him a better opportunity for his 5th ring through a comparatively easier path to the chip. But will LeBron leave Bronny behind with the South Bay Lakers? He’s certainly not that sort of father.