The Los Angeles Lakers will open the NBA regular season against the Golden State Warriors. But before the games begin, LeBron James has already sent the basketball world into a frenzy with what some are calling his “second decision.” Many speculated it might signal his retirement — a shocking move if true.
“Obviously, the biggest and most shocking news would be of his retirement. James is 40 years old and will be 41 by the end of the season. James has hinted at and/or teased his retirement too many times to count in recent years though, and James has said that he is not going to sit around and wait for his younger son Bryce to reach the NBA like many people have assumed of him. If James were to announce his retirement, he would likely do it before the start of the season so that he could have a farewell tour around the league,” USA Today’s Jon Hoefling wrote.
Despite the speculation, it appears James still has one thing on his mind: winning.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
As the Lakers look to build a contender around James, two names that could be on the move are Maxi Kleber and Gabe Vincent.
“The same can't be said for Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million) and Maxi Kleber ($11.0 million), both of whom may be on the fringes of the rotation. If an opportunity presents itself for an upgrade at some point this season, those two are among the Lakers' best salary-matching chips,” FanSided’s Bryan Toporek wrote.
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Vincent has yet to find his rhythm in a Lakers uniform, and Kleber has only appeared in one game so far. If either — or both — are moved in a deal, it wouldn’t be considered a major loss.
The question now is whether other teams see value in the duo. A trade would likely require another piece to be added, but it all depends on how much Kleber and Vincent are worth to potential suitors.