NBA trade deadline: LeBron James comments on Lakers’ poor trade show

Utkarsh Bhatla | 08/02/2019

LeBron James and the Lakers failed to lure Anthony Davis to LA before the trade deadline, as the Pelicans ensured that AD stayed put in New Orleans.

After having offered most of their young core and 2 first round picks, Lakers were not ready to give into the Pelicans’ overwhelming demand of more draft picks.

Talks between the two franchises stalled on deadline day and LeBron was left without the most important jigsaw in the Lakers puzzle.

Anthony Davis had been identified as the first real superstar that the Lakers could trade in order to let LeBron set up the dynasty that he wanted in LA.

With Davis requesting a trade days before the deadline, and the year long reports of a ‘AD to LA’ move; it seemed as if LeBron’s stars were aligning themselves.

However, the Pelicans management decided to play spoilsport and ended up creating a slight rift in that Lakers outfit.

Now, it is up to the Lakers to clear up the mess and start a refreshed surge for a playoff spot with their current roster.

Amidst this AD saga, LeBron  has been heavily criticised about influencing a little too much at the Lakers.

With the AD trade certain to not go through during the last couple of hours of the trade deadline, LeBron was asked how he felt about the entire saga.

LeBron nonchalantly replied that he did not need anything in this league that he did not already have.

“[There’s] nothing I need to get in this league that I don’t already have,” James said.

“So, everything else for me is just like icing on the cake.

“Even though I love the process of everything that I go through to be able to compete every single night and put teams in position to compete for championships, there’s nothing that I’m chasing or that I feel I need to end my career on.” he added.

AD’s move to Lakers not going through is going to  hurt the Lakers in more ways than one.

First of course being the fact that their roster hasn’t been strenghtened by one of the best players in the league. And two, the mood in the camp.

The young Lakers core was put on the table for AD and will need to be very nicely explained how the business of NBA works and why the Lakers had decided to take such a move.

All the involved parties will need to put the last few days behind themselves in order to ensure that the Lakers get a playoff berth.

Post Edited By: Jatin Hasija
Anthony Davis LeBron James

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Utkarsh Bhatla

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