The Los Angeles Lakers have been in the midst of a struggle right now. With a win-loss record of 41-32 and just a few more games remaining in the regular season, the team currently possesses a very low chance of qualifying for the playoffs. Their current performance, compared with that of their rival teams, has made NBA enthusiasts question whether there is a need to bring about a change. Many of them, including former Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal, have suggested engaging in a trade to improve the current roster. While his suggestion carried merit, three former NBA players held contrasting opinions on who the main player in that trade should be.
A few hours ago, former Boston Celtics player Kevin Garnett released another episode of his ‘Ticket & The Truth’ show. With Paul Pierce and Tony Allen joining in as co-hosts, the trio discussed the current situation of the Lakers and how their chances of winning a championship title seem to be depreciating. This led him to question whether the Lakers would benefit from trading lead scorer LeBron James to a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for a bunch of other players.
“Do you trade LeBron, sign and trade him, and then let his son get drafted to wherever like say, and let him play with his son, and like trade him back to Cleveland…. and then you get some pieces to add with Lakers,” said Pierce.
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LeBron James played for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2003 to 10 and then again from 2014 to 18. The time he devoted to the franchise helped them to soar to new heights, going so far as to help them win their first and only championship ring back in 2016. Therefore, even if it would be for one or two more seasons, LeBron’s return would mean a great deal for the almost 362,000 people currently residing in the “C-Town”.
Kevin Garnett seemed to agree with his former teammate, stating that this opinion is something that the franchise may have to “entertain” at some point. The trio didn’t deny that LeBron still carries a lot of benefits for the Lakers. From “still averaging the triple-double” to keeping “people in the stand”, the 39-year-old is a valuable commodity for the future. However, they were also aware that the future has to be taken into consideration. “You gotta get ready for the future. At some point, you gotta start saying, where’s the future? Where do we start? Where are we aligned with the OKCs, the Minnesotas? You know what I’m saying? Cuz you gotta throw Denver in there.”
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Shaquille O’Neal wants to retain LeBron James and exchange a younger shooting guard
Unlike the above-mentioned former players, Shaquille O’Neal did not want to get rid of the Lakers’ golden goose. During a recent episode of his ‘The Big Podcast’, Shaq agreed that the Lakers would benefit from breaking a roster. However, he wouldn’t put the four-time NBA champion’s name in the ring since “LeBron is trying to add some more to his legacy, so I’mma help him out”. Shaq then proceeded to state that he would rather get rid of 25-year-old shooting guard Austin Reaves.
“Gotta get rid of Reaves. Give me another guy that can do that, but a guy that’s a little more consistent,” said Shaq. “I’m not saying Reaves ain’t consistent, but when you’re playing and going for a championship, you can have no inconsistency”.
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What are your thoughts on this ‘debate’? Would you side with Shaquille O’Neal and retain LeBron or allow him to be useful to the Cleveland Cavaliers? Let us know in the comments down below.