NBA Rumors: LeBron James, Anthony Davis Trades Not Currently Considered by Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers aren't yet willing to consider extreme measures amid what's likely to be another season of them falling well short of their goals, according to The Athletic's Jovan Buha.

Buha reported the Lakers "are not currently considering trading" LeBron James or Anthony Davis before the Feb. 6 deadline: "They want to bolster their supporting cast and continue building around Davis and James."

That Buha even has to rule the idea out speaks to how dire Los Angeles' outlook is.

The last few years have pointed to an inescapable conclusion: The Lakers aren't good enough to win a championship with the tandem of James and Davis.

Los Angeles had steadily diminishing returns with head coach Frank Vogel after its 2020 title run. Firing Vogel and hiring Darvin Ham, along with a midseason roster reshuffle, was enough to get the team into the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

The franchise entered 2024-25 hoping another coaching change could spark a similar turnaround. Instead, the bottom is falling out after an encouraging 10-4 start under JJ Redick.

Defense has been Los Angeles' biggest issue. The team ranks 24th in defensive rating (115.5), per NBA.com, and ESPN's Dave McMenamin cited one Western Conference scout who said the Lakers "weren't even trying" in their 134-93 blowout loss to the Miami Heat.

"The Lakers play with zero physicality," the scout said. "It's easy to get transition baskets. It's easy to score via pick-and-rolls. It's easy to post up and cut for easy baskets. Everything is just easy."

Then there's the fact the 39-year-old is showing his age more so than he has at any point in his career. His 22.8 points per game is well below his usual scoring average, and he recently missed two games due to foot soreness, an issue predating the current season.

General manager Rob Pelinka would almost certainly never do it because he'd be pilloried by the fanbase, but dealing James and/or Davis would be a way to at least shake up the status quo or reset altogether.

As painful as that might be, it could be preferable to continue chasing a championship with a formula that you know won't work.