Pingalore had sources that were right about Kawhi Leonard signing with the Los Angeles Clippers, James returning to Cleveland for a second stint and more.

James is in the final season of his contract with the Lakers, although he does have a player option for the 2024-25 season. If James opts out following this season, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

The Lakers are just 24-25 this season, and they hold the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference ahead of their matchup with the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

With Los Angeles not looking like an NBA Finals contender at this point in the season, the team could consider doing the unthinkable and moving James to give him a chance to compete for a title elsewhere.

It’s unclear what kind of return the Lakers would get for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, especially since James is having a terrific season – even though he is 39 years old.

The four-time NBA champion is averaging 24.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from beyond the arc. James is showing that even at his age, he can dominate in the NBA.

James was named as an All-Star starter this season as well, just another sign that he’s still playing at a high level, even for the standards he’s created for himself with his stellar play throughout his career.

If the Lakers do move James by next week’s trade deadline, the team would likely look to make a deal that helps it build around big man Anthony Davis.

Davis is still under contract with the Lakers through the 2026-27 season with a player option for the 2027-28 campaign.

The Lakers have one week until the NBA’s Feb. 8 trade deadline, and if they end up making a move to trade James, it would certainly change the team’s trajectory for the 2023-24 season and potentially beyond as well.