The idea sounds absurd now, but at one point, it was quietly on the table: the Los Angeles Lakers seriously considered trading LeBron James — and even floated the unthinkable possibility of sending him to the Clippers.
That revelation, reported by ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, sits at the heart of a turbulent chapter in modern Lakers history.
After Kobe Bryant’s retirement, the Lakers endured an identity crisis. From 2013–14 to 2017–18, they missed the playoffs five straight seasons — an eternity by L.A. standards.
Then, in 2018, LeBron chose Hollywood anyway, stepping into a franchise searching for itself.
The early return wasn’t immediate. Injuries, missteps, and instability dragged the drought into another season. But once things aligned, the impact
was instant. By 2020, the Lakers were champions again. With LeBron, they’ve reached the playoffs in all but two seasons — hiccups largely shaped by circumstances beyond his control.
Yet behind the scenes, friction brewed.
Holmes reported that owner Jeanie Buss grew increasingly uneasy with the narrative that LeBron had “saved” the Lakers. She bristled at the idea that the franchise’s revival was credited more to James than to organizational leadership.
That tension spiked after the Russell Westbrook trade: a move heavily linked to LeBron’s influence and one that quickly unraveled. Buss reportedly questioned James’ accountability as the roster collapsed around an ill-fitting superstar experiment.
By 2022, frustration reached a startling peak. According to Holmes, Buss privately mused about not extending LeBron’s contract. Even more shocking: she entertained the idea of trading him, with the Clippers mentioned as a hypothetical landing spot.
It never materialized. But the fact that it was discussed at all is staggering.
Trading LeBron James is almost unthinkable. Trading him to your crosstown rival? That’s the kind of move that would echo forever.
The Lakers ultimately stepped back — wisely. LeBron remained elite, commercially invaluable, and central to keeping the franchise afloat. And it’s fair to wonder whether today’s Luka Doncic era ever happens without the stability built by LeBron and Anthony Davis.
