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Lakers: Insider Suggests Trading LeBron James For Ex-LA Lottery Pick

Perhaps now is the best time to bring back their talent

Ryan Menzie

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The Lakers hauled all their youth and future to the Pelicans to bring in Anthony Davis. In retrospect, it was worth the championship despite the lack of future presented to the team but now there is suggestions of bringing one of the pieces back.

It's clear the Lakers are going to have to find a new identity next season and will have to explore trading away LeBron James. It's the reality of basketball as James only gets older and insiders have suggested brining back Brandon Ingram. 

Since leaving the Lakers, Ingram reached his only All-Star appearance in the 2020 season and has averaged 23.2 points. Ingram was not able to record more than 18 points a game during his career with the Lakers. 

It's hard to fully tell whether the Lakers lacked in developing Ingram or if the large opportunity contributed to his success. Regardless, the value is there for Ingram even with his injury history and is someone the Lakers can consider bringing back at the right price (via The Athletic).

The logical centerpiece going to the Lakers would be Ingram, a prolific scorer in any system. It’s not a criticism of Ingram to note that since Nov. 25, when he went out with a toe injury, New Orleans has been a more than adequate enough 12th in the league in offensive rating – and 10th in defensive rating. The Lakers could also ask for the return of the 2024 first they also have to send New Orleans as part of the AD trade. 

The future is bright for the Pelicans so perhaps getting rid of one of their first round picks isn't going to effect them. 

With three ’24 firsts in their quiver, the Pelicans may want to get off of at least one of those, anyway, allowing the Lakers to add a young and inexpensive player to their rotation. L.A. would probably also demand another young player, like New Orleans’ 2022 first-rounder Dyson Daniels, or perhaps Herb Jones. The Pelicans would likely counter-demand that the Lakers kick rocks.

It's a crazy trade with the Lakers shipping James for Ingram, Devonta Graham and the 2024 Lakers first round pick. It's unlikely especially with the thought of pairing projected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama with this already young Pelicans core.

The league isn't quite ready for such an explosion of young talent. 

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Ryan Menzie
RYAN MENZIE

Ryan Menzie | Lead Contributor Ryan is an LA Native who has grown up praising the greatest athletes LA has had to offer. A love for sports ranging between basketball, football, volleyball and golf, a future Sports Management Masters graduate, and being engulfed into organized sports since seven years old, the passion and love for sports never ends for Ryan. If the words he writes don't paint the full picture of his true fandom, he will find more ways than one to tell the story and be more than willing to open up a nice LA sports debate with you. Favorite Player: Kobe Bryant  Favorite Moment: Kobe Bryant Final Game. Too many moments to choose from between Derek Fishers 0.4 second buzzer beater, the Lakers 3-peat or game seven against Boston, but can't beat a final memory like Kobe's final game. 

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