Lakers' LeBron James 'Sick' After Browns Trade Amari Cooper to Bills Amid 1-5 Start

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is less than thrilled with the direction the Cleveland Browns appear to be taking after they traded wide receiver Amari Cooper to the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday.

In a reply to a user on X who suggested the Browns are packing it in, James said he's "SICK RIGHT NOW!":

It's hard not to see this as a sign Cleveland is shifting its priorities after expecting to be a playoff contender. Teams with playoff aspirations typically don't deal a veteran such as Cooper for draft compensation in the middle of the year. Even though the five-time Pro Bowler is performing well below his best, his departure makes the Browns worse.

This fanbase is certainly used to watching a lot of losing. The arc of this season is especially cruel, though, because Cleveland went from an 11-win playoff team to one that's 1-5 and counting on a franchise quarterback who might be broken beyond repair.

As an asset play, dealing Cooper makes sense. He's headed for free agency after the season and a 2025 third-round pick is a solid return under the circumstances.

But it's never great optics when a franchise goes from contending to rebuilding after six weeks. James surely isn't the only Northeast Ohio native who's beside himself.