On January 21, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes released quite the explosive NBA story. Titled “How Buss Family Infighting Drove the $10B Sale of the Lakers,” it started as an interesting tale of how the league’s most recognizable family came to sell the legendary Los Angeles franchise. However, the more I read, the more I was surprised to learn of the apparent rift that developed between the former president of the organization, Jeanie Buss, and the team’s superstar, LeBron James.
The ESPN article claims Jeanie’s dissolution with James was due to a number of things, including the control she felt James and the James-affiliated Klutch Sports seemed to wield over the organization. She was also allegedly bothered by the influence James had in the Lakers’ acquisition of Russell Westbrook in July 2021, the subsequent poor outcome of that trade, and James’ apparent unwillingness to take any responsibility for the Westbrook idea. Additionally, Jeanie reportedly was upset that James did not show enough gratitude when the Lakers drafted Bronny.
However, it was James’ role in the Westbrook scenario that really had Jeanie considering trading James to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022 (at the time, his contract didn’t contain a no-trade clause). The move could have reunited him with his former NBA coach and possibly seen him partner with another NBA superstar.
LeBron James Could Have Again Played for Coach Tyronn Lue
As head coach of the Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018, Tyronn Lue spent a few years leading James and the rest of the Cleveland squad to the top of the pack. That includes three NBA Finals appearances and Cleveland’s first NBA Championship in 2016, with James being named the Finals MVP. Sadly, the partnership between coach and player came to an end in 2018 when James joined the Lakers, and Lue eventually took an assistant coaching position with the Clippers in 2019, before becoming head coach in 2020. Although Lue hasn’t been able to capture a championship with the organization yet, perhaps this wouldn’t have been the case if Jeanie actually traded James to the Clippers in 2022.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Lue and James had a chemistry as coach and player that hasn’t been replicated in James’ career. Lue has great instincts as a coach and had a unique ability to command James’ respect on and off the court. So with the right roster, it’s possible Lue and James could have brought the Clippers their first NBA championship.
Could LeBron James and Paul George Been a Dynamic Duo?
This question is harder to answer, given that NBA trades are typically complicated. There are rarely singular player-for-player trades, there are often more than one team involved, and the trading team usually doesn’t want to deal with a conference rival if it puts them at a disadvantage.
With that being said, if Jeanie entered into trade talks with the Clippers for James, there could have been a world where James and Paul George teamed up and were a favorite to win a championship. I’m no psychologist, but I tend to believe that if George were able to partner with James, someone with championship-winning experience and a player who delights in taking the leadership role on a team, George’s infamous “Playoff-P” persona would have really shone in the postseason because there would be less pressure on him. It’s usually easier to play when the “weight of the world” isn’t on your shoulders.
Plus, while James could have initially been spurned by the idea of being traded, I have a hunch he would have embraced the Clippers and looked forward to the challenge of bringing the franchise its first NBA title. Bringing two different cities their first championship certainly would propel him in the age-old debate of who’s better between him and Michael Jordan.
Again, be sure to check out Holmes’ article in full over on ESPN.
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