For four consecutive years, he missed the championship and the culprit was expected to leave the team, but the Lakers retreated

With Luca Doncic strides and shining on the European Championships, his outstanding performance has aroused widespread heated discussion. As an NBA legend and senior sports commentator, Charles Barkley expressed his opinion when he was a guest at BetMGM Network: The core of the Lakers is now Luca. Moreover, the team's general manager Pelinka also demonstrated sincerity with practical actions, and a three-year, $165 million contract renewal is a strong proof.

Under the current situation, LeBron James, who is the winner of the 4-time NBA championship and the honor of the title of historical scoring, seems to have fallen into a embarrassed situation, as if he has become a slightly embarrassed character. This veteran, who is in his forties, still has enthusiasm and fighting spirit for the field, but it is ultimately difficult to resist the ruthless erosion of time. However, Charles Barkley has a clear and firm judgment on James' future. He frankly pointed out that in the past four seasons, although James' performance at the data level is still commendable, the Lakers have not been able to taste the taste of success for about four years and are gradually drifting away from the other side of victory.

Faced with this cruel reality, James did not respond, but instead actively engaged in training in the Los Angeles Clippers' arena. Perhaps his only communication with the outside world was the meaningful statement issued to ESPN by his agent Ritchie Paul in June. In the statement, Paul not only expressed his gratitude to the Lakers, but also pointed out that LeBron "expects to make every remaining season worthwhile." There was no controversy at first, but these remarks were pushed to the forefront of public opinion. The implication is that James is putting pressure on the management, either spending a lot of money to build a team with the ability to compete for the championship, or he has to bear the risk of losing him.

Obviously, as of now, Pelinka's operations are mainly focused on small-scale adjustments in the free market and have not shown much enthusiasm for trading. Even when a team offered Vincent and Vanderbilt the two substitute rotation players, the Lakers decisively refused. This elusive style of behavior will inevitably lay some hidden dangers.

Looking back on the entire offseason, although the Lakers introduced talented players such as Ayton and Smart, the overall strength of the team is still not enough to stand out in the fiercely competitive West. Not to mention the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets, who have just completed the lineup, it is not easy for the Lakers to defeat them. At the same time, the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks have stockpiled many high-quality starters. If the Lakers want to win a playoff spot in the West, they must not take these two teams lightly.

Therefore, if you want to improve the team's combat effectiveness and obtain high-quality assets by trading James, this is reasonable and unreproachable. In response to such a potential idea, Jovan Buha, a team reporter of the Los Angeles Lakers, was chased by fans on a podcast program and asked reluctantly: "How likely is LeBron James to apply for a deal?" He gave a clear response, bluntly saying that the probability of James applying for a deal is 15%. Although these are personal opinions, it is not easy to promote the transaction.

James' salary this season is as high as US$52.63 million. According to the provisions of the new labor and capital agreement, in addition to matching the salary, it must also be combined with the team's total salary. If you surpass the first tycoon line, the transaction will require additional harsh conditions, so you can refer to the Golden State Warriors. Even if General Manager Dunleavy intends to send Kumingga away, the team's salary exceeds the first tycoon line and forcibly trade with the Kings, it is necessary to use the two forward-guard swingers, Hilde and Moody as the top players. For such a heavy bleeding operation, both sides can only give up silently. Now, the same thing may not be able to reappear in James.