Lamar Odom Thinks Lakers Would Be A Contending Team If They Traded LeBron James

Even though he is almost 38 years old, LeBron James is still one of the best players in the NBA. There is no doubt that he is still a star that could help a team win a title, although it is unclear if he can still be a No. 1 option on a contending team, as the Los Angeles Lakers haven't had much success over the last two years.

The Los Angeles Lakers started the season 3-10, and there's no doubt that they could end up as a lottery team this year. However, they would have the ability to make changes this summer.

Some people have suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers should rebuild, and trade LeBron James. While it is hard to see the Los Angeles Lakers actually trading either star, there's obviously a first time for everything.

Recently, Lamar Odom has suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers trading LeBron James would make them contenders once again. He claimed that a franchise could get "half a team" in return for the superstar.

If you trade LeBron you're doing more than rebuilding... If you did you're probably going to put yourself right back into contention... You're picking two or three players that been playing together already.

It remains to be seen if the Los Angeles Lakers would ever entertain trade conversations around LeBron James. He would likely command a lot of trade interest from around the league, as he is an experienced player that has a provent rack record in the playoffs. If LeBron James was the veteran leader for a young team, then that could end up being a championship-caliber team.

Shaquille O'Neal Thinks The Lakers Shouldn't Trade LeBron James

While trading LeBron James could definitely get the Los Angeles Lakers a solid return, there are definitely reasons to not make a deal. In fact, Shaquille O'Neal has previously claimed that the Lakers would never win again if they were to move LeBron James.

Four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal issued a stark warning to the Los Angeles Lakers Monday, saying despite an abysmal season, it would be a huge mistake to trade the team’s biggest superstar, Lebron James.

“If you trade LeBron, you’ll never win again,” O’Neal said of the Lakers in an interview with CNBC.

While the NBA trade deadline has passed, James’ contract with the Lakers expires in 2023. Some have suggested that trading James may be the quickest and easiest way to fix the team’s disconnect.

Obviously, trading LeBron James could end up deterring free agent stars from signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in the future. While it could help immediately in terms of starting a rebuild, it is not the best approach for a franchise that has historically been star-oriented.

The best move for the Los Angeles Lakers right now is building a competitive roster around LeBron James. It remains to be seen what trades they make, and hopefully, we see some movement on that front as soon as possible.