LeBron James Drops Another Cryptic Trade Hint to Rob Pelinka After 19,000 Fans Witness Major Humiliation
via Imago
“We have to play close to perfect basketball.” It has been four years now since LeBron James won a National Championship and seems like he is not in a mood to back down this season. He is pulling every chord he can, even if subtly, to get a roster he can win a ring with. Whether you call him a Coach Killer or the ultimate boss of the Lakers, when the Chosen One spreads his wings, you can’t stop him. The 40-year-old is still playing like he’s in his 20s, charging at rivals with the same fire.
But while the 19,000 fans at Crypto.com Arena were lucky enough to witness the stellar performance of the 4x champion firsthand, how long could it go on? Seems like The King knows the solution, even if his target had a not-so-pleasant incident in front of his possible future home crowd.
Bron was a big show-off before his home crowd, especially in the second quarter of the game vs. the Wizards. Austin Reaves grabbed the rebound and spotted LeBron James storming in from the top of the key. No thinking, just instinct. He tossed it up. LeBron did the rest.
The 40-year-old took flight, rising high and throwing it down over Jonas Valanciunas. Boom. A poster dunk for the ages. The crowd lost it. Even Bronny James couldn’t believe his eyes. Watching his dad defy gravity at 40 must have definitely left him speechless.
Speaking to the media in the Los Angeles Lakers locker room after winning 111-88, the 20x All-Star shared his take on the poster. “We had a great fast break and we had Max in the corner for the three. Missed the three, AR crashed from the perimeter and then was able to see me streaking down the middle and just threw it up there. And I was able to go get it.”
Interestingly, Rob Pelinka reportedly has his eyes on Valanciunas. Thus, even before a trade talk, the 32-year-old center faced humiliation before his rumored soon-to-be home crowd as the Wizard returned home with a 23-point defeat and a dunk on him by the all-time leading scorer.
The roster is somewhat shaky and success is coming in small packages. Thus, speaking about the current Lakers, the 40-year-old made his emotions clear. James Sr. said: “I don’t know. We just want to continue to get better you know. Every game obviously we had some good times. We have some you know not-so-good times, we just want to play consistent basketball. Let’s see what happens.”
Winning feels good, especially after Sunday’s loss to the Clippers. But is LeBron really satisfied? Probably not. This roster isn’t quite what he had in mind. Small wins are nice, but what about the big picture? That’s the real question for Rob Pelinka. And if you’re paying attention, Bron’s been dropping hints. Big ones.
LeBron James drops major trade indications for Rob Pelinka
On Tuesday, Lakers insider Jovan Buha revealed the front office’s plans. Instead of big swings, they’re opting for smaller moves. Clearly, they’re playing it safe. However, time isn’t on their side. After all, LeBron James’ legendary run is nearing its end. Following Sunday’s loss to the Clippers, he made it clear—there’s no room for mistakes. Ultimately, the Lakers need near-perfect basketball, or they risk heading downhill fast.
“That’s how our team is constructed. We don’t have room for much error. We don’t have a choice. I mean, that’s the way our team is built. We have to play close-to-perfect basketball,” said Bron when asked about the margin for error.
The Lakers sit at 23-18, holding sixth in the West. Against weaker teams, they shine with an 11-1 record. But against the real contenders? An ugly 11-17—the worst in the conference. If you’re wondering what that says, they’re feasting on the easy ones but struggling where it counts. For a team dreaming of another 2019-20-style run, that’s a problem Rob Pelinka can’t ignore.
USA Today via Reuters
Meanwhile, the front office has its eyes on the veteran center Jonas Valanciunas of the Washington Wizards and 2023 NBA champ Bruce Brown. In Valanciunas’ case, the Lakers GM could package his $11 million hooper Gabe Vincent with several second-round draft picks. But, if the deal falters, then Walker Kessler and Robert Williams III are the supposed alternatives.
The Lakers are at a crossroads. LeBron James is still soaring, but the clock is ticking. Small wins won’t cut it, and he knows it. The front office is playing it safe, but safe won’t bring banners. With trade rumors swirling and tough competition ahead, it’s now or never. Will Rob Pelinka make the right moves, or will the Lakers’ dreams fade away? Time’s running out.
