LeBron James has been leading the Los Angeles Lakers squad since 2018. He has led the team to the 2019-20 championship, which was the 17th title for the Lakers. And once again, under the leadership of LeBron James, the Lakers reached the Western Conference Finals this year. But sadly, they could not reach the NBA Finals. Although James has one more year in his contract with the Lakers. Hence, he has another chance to lead his squad to the championship ring once again.
However, there is a question if LeBron James will come back or not. This is because he gave a couple of retirement hints after the humiliating loss in the WCF against the champion team, Denver Nuggets. If he does choose retirement, then the Lakers might look for some upgrade in their roster. Recently Kendrick Perkins of ESPN mentioned that James Harden would be suitable for the Purple and Gold. However, it seems Harden might look to move back to Houston Rockets, where he played for more than seven years. So, can fans consider a Harden-Lakers trade? Let’s see.
Will James Harden Be A Good Pick And Roll Choice For LeBron James?
James Harden is currently playing for the Philadelphia 76ers and has a player option before he becomes a free agent. Hence, it would be interesting to see where he chooses to go. But former NBA player and current ESPN NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins feel that Harden will be a great option for the Lakers. Especially he would be a perfect choice to be a duo with LeBron James for pick and roll. If the Lakers sign Harden, then the Harden-James duo will be a massive upgrade to the Lakers.
Moreover, many fans and experts are questioning the place of Anthony Davis on the team in the next season. Hence, Harden might be a good choice for the Lakers. Perkins believes he is the ultimate point guard. He even pointed out that Harden was a great duo with Joel Embiid in the pick-and-roll. Hence, he can do that with LeBron James and Anthony Davis as well.
Lakers Are Looking For Roster Upgrades
After reaching the postseason this year, the Lakers beat the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies and the 2021-22 champions, the Golden State Warriors. Hence, the Lakers’ front office has the utmost confidence in the core group. They did lose in the conference final, but that was against the Nuggets, who eventually went on to win the title. The top seed of the Western Conference blew the LA side away with a 4-0 thumping series victory. But the Lakers have surprised the fans after they made the postseason.
Nobody could believe the Purple and Gold could reach the playoffs, as they had a horrible start to the season. But the February trades before the deadline changed the dynamic within the group. That helped the team to find balance and eventually reach the conference finals. Although Rob Pelinka, General Manager of the Purple and Gold, along with the rest of the management, believes they can do a lot better with a few more upgrades to the roster. Moreover, LeBron James, the leader of the group, has been playing remarkably well even at the age of 38. He can still go on for a few more years. So, introducing James Harden on the roster will only add more power to the team.
