A longtime sports reporter has made a plea to Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis to leave the franchise to preserve the dignity they have left.
LA Times’ Bill Plaschke says that LeBron should “ask out” and that AD should “follow him.”
“This is my Christmas wish for a Lakers franchise that has lost the town to the [Los Angeles] Dodgers, lost the season because of a lousy roster, and just lost by 41 points to Pat Riley,” Plaschke said. “…It’s over. Already. There is no hope. Again. With no first-round draft pick and suffocating salaries, they might not be any better next year. Really.”
It doesn’t appear that LeBron or AD will be asking for trades anytime soon, but Plaschke argues it is the best way to help themselves and the team in the long run.
“The best way the two leading Lakers can help this team is to willingly leave it,” he said.
“If James relents on his no-trade clause, the Lakers can send him to a contender for one last hurrah.
“If Davis gives his approval — the Lakers don’t need it and could trade him today since he signed his contract in 2023, but they would want it because that’s how they treat superstars — the Lakers could send him somewhere that can give him a chance at another ring before his body breaks down for the last time.”
Realistically, if anyone is going to leave the Lakers it would be Davis.
It’s hard to imagine LeBron leaving his home and the team that drafted his son Bronny.
No doubt teams would be interested in Davis, but his last few games have been pretty terrible.
Since recording back-to-back games of career lows, Davis went from third on the NBA MVP ladder to seventh.
READ MORE: Nikola Jokic Roasts Teammates After Historic Night Ends in Embarrassing Loss
