LeBron James Steps Away From the Lakers Due to Personal Reasons

LeBron James has the sports world talking after reportedly stepping away from the Los Angeles Lakers due to personal reasons. According to reports, LeBron was not in sight on Sunday for the Lakers’ matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Shams Charania and ESPN’s Dave McMenamin indicated that LeBron would more than likely not be in attendance at Friday’s game, as well.

Following the news, Coach J.J. Redick came forward to address LeBron’s absence, stating, “LeBron is not with the team right now. He’s out for personal reasons, excused absence.” While the Lakers are currently facing a challenge with their team leader not being present, LeBron’s absence raises more concerns regarding the team’s performance and his future with the NBA team.

Nonetheless, when a big star like LeBron faces these issues, rumors of a potential trade start floating around. Reports have claimed that the Golden State Warriors are monitoring the situation carefully, hoping to secure the four-time NBA star if a trade occurs. But this might be harder than it may seem. For starters, LeBron has a no-trade clause in his contract, meaning he cannot be traded unless he requests it.

Outside of that, LeBron has proven his loyalty to the Lakers, even taking a smaller salary to help improve the team’s roster after resigning. Additionally, the Lakers were able to secure LeBron’s son, Bronny James, partially due to his father’s influence and his potential as a prospect.