LeBron James ought to take into account Karl Malone’s transfer to assist the Los Angeles Lakers win an NBA Championship.
As surprising because it was, the Los Angeles Lakers buying and selling for famous person Luka Doncic in the midst of the 2024-25 season was a transfer that helped the group enter a brand new period.
For the previous seven years, LeBron James has been the face of the LA Lakers. Nonetheless, with James turning 40 years previous final season, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than he bids farewell to the NBA.
Consequently, having somebody of Doncic’s caliber substitute him because the cornerstone famous person is a dream come true for Laker Nation. However earlier than that transition is full, the Lakers may nonetheless nonetheless strive successful an NBA title with the James-Doncic duo.
Regardless of ending because the third seed within the Western Convention, the Lakers’ journey completed in simply 5 video games within the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Following the first-round defeat by the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s apparent that the Lakers want a greater supporting solid across the James-Doncic duo.
One technique to do it’s by rigorously buying and selling and signing gamers forward of the 2025-26 season. However contemplating how shut the Lakers are to the luxurious tax slab, it’s a troublesome transfer.
However, James may immediately assist the Purple and Gold grow to be a title contender if he follows what Karl Malone did in 2003 earlier than becoming a member of the Lakers.
Earlier than becoming a member of the Lakers, Malone was making $19.5 million with the Utah Jazz. Nonetheless, the Mailman signed a veteran minimal $1.5 million deal, sacrificing $18 million to play for the Lakers.
Contemplating James has a $52.6 million participant choice for the upcoming season if he opts out of it and takes Malone’s path, it will give unimaginable flexibility to the Lakers to enhance the roster round him and Doncic.
Clearly, there are a plethora of roadblocks for this transfer to succeed. For starters, James is reportedly tired of taking a pay lower for the upcoming season.
As an alternative, he’s planning to signal a two-year, $105 million deal to stick with the group. But when he decides to take the veteran minimal deal, it will require him to depart greater than $100 million on the desk.
Secondly, James is a a lot better participant than Malone was heading into the 2003-04 season. Certain, he had missed simply six video games in 18 years with the Jazz, however Malone was undoubtedly out of his prime.
In any case, the Jazz legend averaged 20.6 factors, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per sport earlier than becoming a member of the Lakers. However, LBJ averaged 24.4 factors, 7.8 rebounds, and eight.2 assists per sport this season.
It’s unlikely that James will go this route, nevertheless it’s an attention-grabbing thought that would assist him fulfill his quest to win the fifth NBA Championship of his profession.
