Another report that LeBron James trade talk has 'gotten quiet'
With that, LeBron trade chatter has died down, something Zach Lowe discussed on The Bill Simmons Podcast.
'I've heard it's kind of gotten quiet now after it was the talk of Summer League. There doesn't seem to be like a clean solution either way. Everyone's saying we should expect them to be on the Lakers. That's my expectation.
Then Lowe discusses Simmons' idea of a Miami reunion for LeBron.
'Like on paper there's a Heat trade that is not crazy for either team. Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell for unhappy LeBron in January and maybe some sort of pick swap and maybe that's all it is as crazy as that sounds. I think for the Lakers Kel'el Ware has got to be in it.'
Everything may look different by the February trade deadline, but does this trade work for LeBron? He has a no-trade clause and wants to compete for a title in the years he has left in the league. Is Miami one of those teams? Even in a down season in the East, it's hard to see Miami being a championship-caliber team that could beat Cleveland, New York, Orlando, and others, with or without LeBron. Currently, he is on a Lakers team that is not a top-three favorite to emerge from the deep West, but with Doncic, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and the rest of the roster, this should be a strong team. The Lakers are closer to LeBron's goals than the Miami Heat.
All the other fake trades also run into real-world logistical problems. Cleveland can't trade for him because they are over the second apron of the luxury tax and can't aggregate salaries in a trade (it would have to be one-for-one and the Cavs don't have anyone making LeBron-level money). New York would have to gut its roster of depth to make this trade, which would not improve their team.
The most likely scenario remains that LeBron stays with the Lakers this season, then becomes a free agent next summer, and things get very interesting.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
28 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Perkins delivers winning hit as Brewers rally to beat Marlins 3-2 and avoid sweep
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Blake Perkins singled home the winning run in the ninth inning as the Milwaukee Brewers rallied to beat the Miami Marlins 3-2 on Sunday. Milwaukee erased a 2-1 deficit by scoring in each of the final two innings to avoid the sweep. The Brewers have been swept just once, in their opening series of the season at Yankee Stadium. The Brewers remain tied for first in the NL Central with the Chicago Cubs, who come to Milwaukee for a three-game series beginning Monday. The Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4 on Sunday. Eric Haase hit a one-out bloop single to center off Cade Gibson (2-5) in the ninth and advanced to third on Brice Turang's broken-bat double down the left-field line. Gibson intentionally walked Jackson Chourio to load the bases. Perkins then lofted a 3-2 pitch well over the head of center fielder Dane Myers. Perkins had scored the tying run in the eighth after entering as a pinch-runner, stealing second and coming home on Andrew Vaughn's two-out, ground-rule double off Ronny Henriquez. Milwaukee's Trevor Megill (3-2) allowed a two-out double to Javier Sanoja in the top of the ninth, but right fielder Isaac Colins made a running catch of a fly ball to end the threat. Key moment Miami led 2-1 and had runners on first and second with one out in the seventh when the Marlins ran themselves out of an inning. Aaron Ashby picked off Myers at second base. Ashby then caught Xavier Edwards leaning off first and threw to Vaughn, who threw Edwards out at second. Edwards initially was ruled safe, but a replay review overturned the call. Key stat Chourio doubled twice and extended his hitting streak to 20 games. Paul Molitor had a franchise-record, 39-game hitting streak in 1987. The only other Brewers to have hitting streaks of at least 20 games are Davey May in 1973, Ryan Braun in 2011, Cecil Cooper in 1980 and Corey Hart in 2007 and 2010. Up next Miami heads to St. Louis for a three-game series. The scheduled starting pitchers for Monday's series opener are Miami's Edward Cabrera (4-4, 3.48 ERA) and St. Louis' Andre Pallante (5-7, 4.91 ERA). The Brewers-Cubs series starts Monday with an All-Star pitching matchup featuring Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski (4-1, 2.45) and Chicago's Matthew Boyd (11-3, 2.20). ___
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Royals put Kris Bubic, Jac Caglianone on IL; newly acquired Randal Grichuk into starting lineup
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals placed All-Star left-hander Kris Bubic on the 15-day injured list with a rotator cuff strain and outfielder Jac Caglianone on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring amid a series of moves before their series finale against Cleveland on Sunday. The Royals also welcomed outfielder Randal Grichuk, who was acquired on Saturday night in a deal that shipped reliever Andrew Hoffmann to Arizona, and recalled right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan from Triple-A Omaha to help the bullpen. Bubic walked the first four batters he faced and only managed to last 2 2/3 innings against the Guardians on Saturday, when he started the second game of a split doubleheader. He needed 42 pitches to get through the first inning, and he wound up allowing four runs and three hits in his shortest start since Sept. 18, 2022, at Boston. 'He's getting some further testing and then we'll talk to the doc here and see what we got,' Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. Bubic said he's experienced some shoulder soreness for much of the season, but he's been able to pitch through it at a break-through level. Even with the rocky start Saturday, he has a 2.55 ERA — the fifth-best mark in the American League. 'I mean, you see how he's performed,' Quatraro said. 'Most pitchers when they go out there, they feel something almost every time. The severity of it and his ability to continue to deal with it has been manageable, by his own admission. ... And it's gotten to the point where, you know, he doesn't, and we don't feel like it's best for him to keep fighting through it.' The Royals rotation has suddenly thinned considerably. Left-hander Cole Ragans remains on the IL with a strained rotator cuff and is not expected back until late August, and right-hander Michael Lorenzen is progressing from his strained left oblique but may need to make a rehab start before he returns to the Royals sometime in August. The Royals already have had to plug one spot with 45-year-old Rich Hill, who pitched well in his debut for them this past week. Caglianone, the Royals' 22-year-old power-hitter, felt tightness in his hamstring while running down a double into the gap in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. Then he felt the twinge again while running to first on a groundout later the inning. The timing of the injury could have been worse: The Royals had been working on a deal to land Grichuk, who nearly signed with them in the offseason but will now help them primarily against left-handed hitting for the rest of the season. 'You've seen our outfield had gotten very heavily left-handed. Something we thought we needed to add was a right-handed bat,' said Quatraro, whose team began the day 51-54 and 4 1/2 games back in the AL wild-card race. Grichuk was 0 for 2 on Saturday night in Pittsburgh, flying out in the second inning and the fourth, when he was told by the Diamondbacks that he had been traded. He hugged several teammates in the dugout and then headed out, catching a flight first thing Sunday so that he could be in Kansas City in time for the series finale against the Guardians. He was put in the starting lineup right away, batting sixth and playing right field. 'When they called they said, 'If you're willing to be here to play, you know, we want you in the starting lineup,'' Grichuk said, 'and yeah, I want to play. That's kind of my M.O. And so I said, 'Let's do it. We'll make it happen, even if it's crazy travel.'' The one hang-up was Grichuk's number: He's always worn 15 and that number was taken by backup catcher Luke Maile. But it turns out the two knew each other from their days together in Toronto, so a quick text message smoothed things out. Maile took No. 17 and gave his old buddy No. 15 — 'We'll work something out,' Grichuk said of potential compensation. 'It's pretty cool that he was able to give it to me,' Grichuk said.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
OKC Thunder Mailbag: Could Ajay Mitchell, Nikola Topic see time in G League next year?
The calendar nears August, which means the NBA is in its driest part of the year. Rosters are mostly set as front offices head into vacation for the next couple of months before training camp starts. The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the 2025-26 season with the hopes of being repeat NBA champions. They had one of the greatest seasons ever with a 68-14 regular-season record and captured the Larry O'Brien trophy. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren were all signed to new contract extensions this offseason. As the Thunder basically run it back with the same roster, Thunder Wire will conduct regular mailbags to answer questions that fans have. One question being asked is about Nikola Topic and Ajay Mitchell. Both young guards will battle for the backup point guard spot. There's only a finite number of minutes to hand out. Could one, if not both, see time on the G League's OKC Blue next season? The answer is probably — at least for one of them. Mitchell was the rare two-way player who never played in the G League last season. Instead, he got off to a hot start and penciled his way into the rotation. Before the Thunder had a chance to send him down, toe surgery knocked him out for three months of the regular season. By the time Mitchell returned, the G League season was over. While the 23-year-old dominated the 2025 Summer League, there's still a decent chance he suits up for the Blue at least once on an assignment this upcoming year. The regular season is long enough, and Mark Daigneault frequently changes his rotations. Those two variables combined could cause Mitchell to go a couple of weeks without any real run. The best solution to that is short G League stints at home. Just for Mitchell to keep his legs warm. That's a strategy the Thunder have utilized for years. Sharing an arena and team system makes assignments and recalls as seamless as possible. Now Topic, on the other hand, seems prime to be a player who could spend plenty of time on the Blue. The 19-year-old will need time to develop — especially after being out his first year with a torn ACL. There's only so much a practice or shootaround can do for you. Live 5-on-5 reps against opponents is the best way to ensure a player learns and strengthens their weaknesses. The Thunder drafted Topic with the No. 12 pick of the 2024 NBA draft, knowing he'd be a long-term project. Finally being cleared to play, part of that involves time with the Blue. It's a luxury the NBA champion is afforded because of their rich depth and not needing a rookie to contribute for them to succeed. While Mitchell looks ready to contribute right now, Topic looks like he still needs his training wheels. Which is to be expected, considering the four-year age gap between the players. The 19-year-old could benefit from spending time with the Blue and a low-pressure environment where mistakes aren't as loud as they are at the NBA stage. The Thunder are known as one of the NBA's best developmental programs. The Blue has played a large part in that. They've squeezed every drop of juice out of their G League affiliate and have turned it into a true farm system akin to baseball. Topic and Mitchell could be the latest players who could benefit from some time with the Blue this upcoming season. The former more than the latter.
