LeBron James opted into the final year of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, but in the process, he and his camp may have also indicated he may want to be traded to a team that has a better chance of winning an NBA Championship. If that is exactly what transpired, the Miami Heat should be looking for a possible reunion with The King.
LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN that his client "wants to compete for a championship and understands the Lakers are building for the future." Paul added that LeBron is evaluating "what's best for himself at this stage of his life and career."
Did LeBron just demand a trade?
It may not have been clearly outlined, but when you break down these comments, there's a chance that LeBron may have asked for a trade. Or, at the very least, opened the door to one. It's true; the Lakers are building for the future, and hopefully around Luka Doncic.
However, even his future is up in the air. He's eligible for a huge extension this summer, but there's no guarantee, at least for now, that he's going to willingly sign one.
If LeBron feels that there's at least a small chance that Luka may not be completely committed to the Lakers, or strongly questions whether Los Angeles will be competitive this year, it would make sense for him to keep his options open. Including a possible trade.
The Heat, who were previously interested in Kevin Durant earlier this offseason, would be a natural potential landing spot. They're one of the few teams that would seemingly be willing to make such sacrifices for a veteran superstar player.
Thinking about the possibilities, a Heat and LeBron reunion could be the exact bombshell that would add another much-needed curveball to the NBA offseason. At this point, who knows what the Heat may have lined up for the remainder of the offseason? However, a LeBron to Heat trade could be just crazy enough work.
And it's not that outlandish of an idea as it sounds, thanks to how LeBron's contract is structured.
LeBron can control where he's traded
There are two players in the NBA who currently have a no-trade clause. LeBron happens to be one of them. Because of that, LeBron would theoretically have control over any trade. If he did just ask the Lakers for a trade, LeBron will be able to decide where he's traded.
That could end up working in favor of a team like the Heat, one that doesn't have a ton of trade assets to offer and a team that has little to no interest in participating in a bidding war. If LeBron wants a trade, and he wants to be traded to Miami, and the franchise is open to it, it's probably a deal that would get done fairly quickly.
Again, these are all huge assumptions that we're making. But if LeBron truly wants a trade away from the Lakers, and the Heat are a team that theoretically interests him, this is the headline-stealing reunion that the NBA may need.