An anonymous Western Conference manager has sensationally claimed Lebron James is no longer untouchable and could be involved in a deal to place French giant Victor Wembanyama in next year’s NBA draft.
Hype around the 7-foot-4 generational talent has continued to build since his dominant performances in two exhibition games against the NBA G League Ignite for the Metropolitans 92 earlier this month totaled 73 points.
However, it’s his ability to really do anything on a basketball court that has got teams tanking in this season’s “Race for Vic” for him, who shot 7 of 11 of three in Game 1 and snapped more than 15 rebounds over the course of both competitions.
The order of the 2023 NBA draft will be determined by the annual May 17 lottery, which will feature all 14 teams that fail to make the playoffs. Teams with the worst records have a better chance of winning the lottery, but only up to a point. This season’s bottom three NBA teams each have a 14 percent chance of earning the top pick unless they can trade to acquire additional lottery picks.
An unnamed NBA GM has announced that he would trade Lebron James for Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama vs G League Ignite today:
37 minutes
36 points
11 setbacks
4 templates
2 steals
4 blocks
11-24 FG
12-16 feet
58TS%
+26 (-20 Without)One of the craziest performances I’ve ever seen. Secured his status as the next top finisher. Full Highlights: pic.twitter.com/TdGEDZKMtq
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) October 6, 2022
The anonymous source said teams may be able to build around James, 37, longer in the years to come
Despite limited odds of winning the lottery, the uncompetitive spirit of drafting the 18-year-old has gotten so bad that the NBA commission had to issue a preseason warning to Adam Silver earlier this month.
“I know a lot of our NBA teams are drooling at the idea that they can possibly get him through our lottery, so they should all still be playing very hard next season,” he told reporters in Abu Dhabi in front of a Hawks Bucks preseason game.
And now the league’s general managers have been asked to list the players they deem untradable, even if it’s in return for Wembanyama. These untouchables include Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, MVP Nikola Jovic and Joel Embiid.
One player not mentioned in this elite tier is the man many refer to as “The King”.
“Who wouldn’t I trade with?” an unnamed Western Conference executive told The Athletic’s David Aldridge. “You have Durant. you have giannis I can’t bet [Lebron James] in this conversation, just because of his age. Curry. Jokic. And Embid.
“I would say that you have to have this conversation from an organizational point of view. I’m not saying I would. But I think these five are asking that question.’
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has warned recovery teams not to refuel during the ‘Race for Vic’
All in all, James, who turns 38 in December, is no longer at an age where teams are looking to build a roster around him. Although his offensive skills only improve as the season progresses, it would be a shock to see a rebuilding team trade for a player unlikely to stay in the league for the long term.
And that’s what makes the hype surrounding Wembanyama even more worthy, according to an NBA exec, who claimed he’d draft the phenomenon “even if he breaks both his legs,” reported Bleacher Report.
Of course, most NBA teams want a handful of bad seasons to rebuild with draft picks that they can then build around and thrive over the long term, and that’s why many front-office bosses want the 18-year-old “Vic” .
That doesn’t take away from the recognition of many, if not all, general managers in the league for James as one of the greatest to ever play the game, as he continues to show that age is just a number following his most recent performance against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday in one of two opening games of the NBA season.
James’ performance was sensational, recording 31 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in the 123-109 loss. Overall, he shot 48 percent from the field and exactly 30 percent from deep.
The Lakers, who are 0-1, meet the Clippers in Thursday night’s Battle of LA before taking on the Portland Trailblazers against another West Coast team for the third straight game on Sunday.
And like the Lakers, many other teams in the league are set to lose a few games early on, meaning the “race for Vic” has only just begun.
Wembanyama met James after “The King” saw him play against the G League Ignite in Nevada