Jeannie won't consider trading LeBron even if he doesn't sign extension

[Kilroy]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/266815/Lakers-Wont-Consider-Trading-LeBron-James-If-He-Declines-Extension-Offer

LeBron is not high on signing an extension in August but Jeannie indicates she's not interested in trading him regardless...

I mean not for nothing, but even at his age, he's more entertaining to watch than all but maybe 2 or 3 players in the NBA right now...

Still though, to not think about trading him seems to be to be embracing mediocrity...

The flip-side of that is, you just gave hop-along-Davis a 5yr contract, and now LeBron wants to 'keep his options open'...
That would seem to make it clear you should be looking to move Davis too...

On another note... There's tons of spicy Lakers gossip hitting the feeds almost daily right now... Why isn't it being posted here? You can't complain about the site being dead and also be too lazy to post stuff... That's some Westbrick level RealGMing...

[Slava]

I think it’s a game of courtship and while the lakers are neither the most professional nor the most deep pocketed owners, they’ve made their bones on loyalty towards superstars.

Jeannie also knows Lebron automatically makes you relevant and jn Los Angeles, being relevant is better than being good.

[TylersLakers]

Honestly, I don’t think LeBron’s trying to leave unless he can play with his son. Like.. where would he go? He’s fully admitted he’s not taking less than the max unless he plays with his son in his final year.

However, I would partner with him and see what he’s looking for. If he’s committed to staying but just wants to keep it open on a year by year status because of his son and seeing how his body responds.. then you go all in.

But if the Lakers aren’t going to trade Westbrook and aren’t going to trade picks.. what’s the point?

[SlimShady83]

[slifersd]

Why let sensible decision making get in the way of idiocy? Lol. In all seriousness, Jeanie cannot get rid of LeBron no matter what. She knows how unattractive this organization is to the outside world right now, and she has absolutely no way to replace LeBron. She is going to have to ride this LeBron train for as long as she can so the Lakers can still stay relevant in LA.

[Mamba Mentality]

Lebron is a savvy business man. Of course he isn't gonna sign the extension, best to keep his options open to see how the Lakers retool with all that capspace in 2023. Then I see him signing a 1+1 deal while keeping a close eye on where Bronny ends up.

[Kilroy]

Lebron is a savvy business man. Of course he isn't gonna sign the extension, best to keep his options open to see how the Lakers retool with all that capspace in 2023. Then I see him signing a 1+1 deal while keeping a close eye on where Bronny ends up.

Everything you said is true... And if it doesn't make you "consider" trading him, then there's something wrong upstairs...

All of it is about what's best for LeBron... No loyalty factors in whatsoever... So why are we talking about loyalty with a guy who has shown zero loyalty his entire career?

Especially since, we also have AD locked up long term and he's not an Alpha...

Instead of being smart and loyal to their brand and it's fans, and shutting up, and making the tough decisions... They're leaking to the press like a sieve and talking about the team like they're a 3rd grade class at a progressive private school, that prioritizes expanded consciousness and mental health...

[Kilroy]

Why let sensible decision making get in the way of idiocy? Lol. In all seriousness, Jeanie cannot get rid of LeBron no matter what. She knows how unattractive this organization is to the outside world right now, and she has absolutely no way to replace LeBron. She is going to have to ride this LeBron train for as long as she can so the Lakers can still stay relevant in LA.

If this organization is unattractive, it's because of LeBron and his declining age but not declining ego... Along with AD's lack of commitment and fragility...
Being loyal to those 2, only makes us look like more of a clown-show... And 'leaking' to the press only makes it obvious...

LeBron is tradable... It may seem like a dick-move to a lot of people, but IMO that's what this franchise needs... Get some of that FU back in the soup...

[LAL1947]

Lebron is a savvy business man. Of course he isn't gonna sign the extension, best to keep his options open to see how the Lakers retool with all that capspace in 2023. Then I see him signing a 1+1 deal while keeping a close eye on where Bronny ends up.

Everything you said is true... And if it doesn't make you "consider" trading him, then there's something wrong upstairs...

All of it is about what's best for LeBron... No loyalty factors in whatsoever... So why are we talking about loyalty with a guy who has shown zero loyalty his entire career?

Why let sensible decision making get in the way of idiocy? Lol. In all seriousness, Jeanie cannot get rid of LeBron no matter what. She knows how unattractive this organization is to the outside world right now, and she has absolutely no way to replace LeBron. She is going to have to ride this LeBron train for as long as she can so the Lakers can still stay relevant in LA.

If this organization is unattractive, it's because of LeBron and his declining age but not declining ego... Along with AD's lack of commitment and fragility...

Being loyal to those 2, only makes us look like more of a clown-show... And 'leaking' to the press only makes it obvious...

LeBron is tradable... It may seem like a dick-move to a lot of people, but IMO that's what this franchise needs... Get some of that FU back in the soup...

I feel exactly the same way. Well said.

Hope the management considers everything privately, even if they don't admit to it publicly... and then decides on the best course of action for the team to win titles, not the best course of action for Lebron alone.

[loveshaq786]

What if that is exactly what you need to say?

"We are not trading him" , but in reality we're just trying to hold value?

[Kilroy]

What if that is exactly what you need to say?

"We are not trading him" , but in reality we're just trying to hold value?

Then it's better to say nothing at all...

[loveshaq786]

Magic needs to buy this damn organization... Give Jeannie a philanthropy position, and have Phil Jackson do meditation sessions on a contract basis.

Everyone else can stay the eff away and let magic run it

[slifersd]

Why let sensible decision making get in the way of idiocy? Lol. In all seriousness, Jeanie cannot get rid of LeBron no matter what. She knows how unattractive this organization is to the outside world right now, and she has absolutely no way to replace LeBron. She is going to have to ride this LeBron train for as long as she can so the Lakers can still stay relevant in LA.

If this organization is unattractive, it's because of LeBron and his declining age but not declining ego... Along with AD's lack of commitment and fragility...
Being loyal to those 2, only makes us look like more of a clown-show... And 'leaking' to the press only makes it obvious...

LeBron is tradable... It may seem like a dick-move to a lot of people, but IMO that's what this franchise needs... Get some of that FU back in the soup...

Look, I am as down on LeBron and AD as everyone else here, but let's not act like they are the ONLY problem this organization has. Even prior to LeBron and AD, we were already widely viewed (still do till this day) as a dysfunctional organization that is incompetent. Players were turning us down left and right in free agency and we went years without being able to give our cap space away. At the end of the day, who in the NBA world actually has any respect for Kurt/Linda Rambis, Jeanie and Pelinka? We are a laughing stock organization and that, to me, is an even bigger issue than Klutch boys. Players can come and go, ownership cannot. If Jeanie insists on running one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world like it's a mom and pop convenient store in middle Missouri, we are going to be an unattractive franchise for a long long time.

[Kilroy]

Why let sensible decision making get in the way of idiocy? Lol. In all seriousness, Jeanie cannot get rid of LeBron no matter what. She knows how unattractive this organization is to the outside world right now, and she has absolutely no way to replace LeBron. She is going to have to ride this LeBron train for as long as she can so the Lakers can still stay relevant in LA.

If this organization is unattractive, it's because of LeBron and his declining age but not declining ego... Along with AD's lack of commitment and fragility...
Being loyal to those 2, only makes us look like more of a clown-show... And 'leaking' to the press only makes it obvious...

LeBron is tradable... It may seem like a dick-move to a lot of people, but IMO that's what this franchise needs... Get some of that FU back in the soup...

Look, I am as down on LeBron and AD as everyone else here, but let's not act like they are the ONLY problem this organization has. Even prior to LeBron and AD, we were already widely viewed (still do till this day) as a dysfunctional organization that is incompetent. Players were turning us down left and right in free agency and we went years without being able to give our cap space away. At the end of the day, who in the NBA world actually has any respect for Kurt/Linda Rambis, Jeanie and Pelinka? We are a laughing stock organization and that, to me, is an even bigger issue than Klutch boys. Players can come and go, ownership cannot. If Jeanie insists on running one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world like it's a mom and pop convenient store in middle Missouri, we are going to be an unattractive franchise for a long long time.

Players were turning us down in free agency because we either didn't have the best combination of talent for them to win, or we had players like LeBron and Kobe, who they didn't want to team up with, or we didn't have the most money to offer.

I don't think there was a single player out there who said 'No, I don't want to go to LA because they're a messed up Organization."

We did some stupid things, like the billboards for Howard, etc... But we still got great players after that because of our brand.

I think the Laughing Stock organization narrative is a bit silly... Every season, there are people saying we're finished, and after free agency they're all talking about how scary we are... Even after the Westbrook trade.

The top 2 destinations in the league, talent aside, are always the Lakers and the Knicks... And if the Knicks always being on the list doesn't just immediately toss the 'laughingstock' narrative out the window, I'm not sure what else I can say...

[LAL1947]

Magic needs to buy this damn organization... Give Jeannie a philanthropy position, and have Phil Jackson do meditation sessions on a contract basis.

Everyone else can stay the eff away and let magic run it

Okay, the bit about Phil doing meditation sessions is funny, hehe... but why do you want Magic owning or running the Lakers? That's like entering the Twilight Zone, willingly.

We need to get away from all the old heads (Magic, Kareem, Phil, Rambii)... keep them all at 2 arms and 2 legs distance, as ceremonial figures only... and become more professional in our whole approach, like GSW. I think Pelinka is capable of doing that, i.e., ushering in a GSW-like model.

I'm bummed that we fired Vogel. He may have had some flaws in terms of tactics, yet he looked the sort of coach who could be a long-term guy in terms of personality and mentality. We soon need a rebuild/reload... and if given the chance, I think Frank could have put together a really good core of young, hard working, and loyal 2-way players... to which it would have then been quite easy to add a star or two.

[Optms]

I wouldn't trade Lebron. I would trade AD. He has been a huge disappointment since the bubble. Classic example of a guy who should have taken the next step and taken the reigns but decided 1 title was enough.

[zimpy27]

Lebron is a savvy business man. Of course he isn't gonna sign the extension, best to keep his options open to see how the Lakers retool with all that capspace in 2023. Then I see him signing a 1+1 deal while keeping a close eye on where Bronny ends up.

Everything you said is true... And if it doesn't make you "consider" trading him, then there's something wrong upstairs...

All of it is about what's best for LeBron... No loyalty factors in whatsoever... So why are we talking about loyalty with a guy who has shown zero loyalty his entire career?

Especially since, we also have AD locked up long term and he's not an Alpha...

Instead of being smart and loyal to their brand and it's fans, and shutting up, and making the tough decisions... They're leaking to the press like a sieve and talking about the team like they're a 3rd grade class at a progressive private school, that prioritizes expanded consciousness and mental health...

He came for free, if he was traded for then I could absolutely see him being traded off. Something about choosing to come to Lakers for free makes him impossible to move for profit from the FO's perspective. I get it, I think it would be a bad look for future stars, the Lakers haven't really traded away an all-time great.

[Landsberger]

Yeah.... but what does Mrs Rambis say?

Our owners are not like other owners...Jeanie's financial future rides on LeBron..... not the other way around. If LeBron want's another chip he knows it won't be here. I actually hope for a "decision" special.

[Landsberger]

Players were turning us down in free agency because we either didn't have the best combination of talent for them to win, or we had players like LeBron and Kobe, who they didn't want to team up with, or we didn't have the most money to offer.

I don't think there was a single player out there who said 'No, I don't want to go to LA because they're a messed up Organization.

The two aren't connected? Plenty of mid level talent have taken less to play for teams. Other than Artest, I can't think of anyone who came here for less. I can think of dozens who've used us to go elsewhere however. I think there is some there there...

[LAL1947]

I think it would be nice if our own fans were a little more sensible with hot takes. Perhaps, think a little before saying stuff that makes us look like a clown show when we're not one.

Yeah.... but what does Mrs Rambis say?

Jeanie just told you exactly what Linda Rambis does in her interview. She is someone who helps players settle in after they're traded to LA and other similar stuff... nothing to do with the basketball side of things. So why not take Jeanie's words at face value? That she is a friend of Jeanie's should not be a concern to anyone. Even hired middle-managers have people on their teams they can trust... but an owner of a $4b franchise can not have a confidant?

Our owners are not like other owners

That's true. The Laker's owners are not the sort of mega-billionaires who have looted the middle-class and the poor... or hedge funds or venture capital groups either. I kinda like that they're not TBH.

Jeanie's financial future rides on LeBron.

That's crazy talk. Making it into the playoffs and winning rings helps increase revenue... but Jeanie's financial future doesn't ride on Lebron. The Lakers have been around long before Lebron and will be around long after he has left too.