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LeBron James is back playing with the Los Angeles Lakers, scoring 18 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, but his mysterious two-game absence for personal reasons last week just added fuel to the fire that the Lakers might explore a trade before the February 6 deadline.

James is the greatest player of all time and is still producing at a high level, although it’s clear that he has taken a step back. He is averaging 22.8 points, eight rebounds and 9.1 assists per game while shooting a solid–but not elite–36.5% from 3-point range. He has a $52 million player option next season before his contract expires and has a full no-trade clause in his deal, meaning he can veto any trade.

Should the Lakers try to trade him, his son, Bronny, would likely be included in the deal, but the elder James would have a final say on where he would end up. As trade rumors heat up, seemingly every team has been linked to him in one way or another, but which teams stand a chance of landing him?

We put all 29 teams in a ranking system and divided them up into five tiers: Not Fit For a King; Financially Improbable; Unlikely, But Fans Can Dream; Plausible If the Deal is Right; Ideal Landing Spots for LeBron. The first category, Not Fit For a King, are the teams we undoubtedly think would immediately get vetoed by James before he could even hear an offer.

Tier 5: Not Fit For a King

Washington Wizards
Toronto Raptors
Charlotte Hornets
Detroit Pistons
Utah Jazz
New Orleans Pelicans
Portland Trail Blazers
All seven of these teams are in the middle (or start) of a rebuild. James, as always, will be gunning to win his fifth NBA Finals, and even with him on the team, these squads don’t stand a chance. Most of them, given the option, wouldn’t even trade a second-round pick for James, if that were to be possible.

These teams are concerned with the future and would much rather have a shot at Cooper Flagg or another elite teenager, not a 39-year-old Hall of Famer.

Tier 4: Financially Improbable

Boston Celtics
Milwaukee Bucks
New York Knicks
Minnesota Timberwolves
Denver Nuggets
Dallas Mavericks
All of these teams are contenders, and adding James would immediately make them unquestionably better in a vacuum.

However, in order to match James’ $48.7 million salary, they would have to give up a key player (think Kyrie Irving and other solid second options). While the fit might be there, there is no realistic way to get LeBron to these teams.

Tier 3: Unlikely, But Fans Can Dream

Oklahoma City Thunder
Memphis Grizzlies
Houston Rockets
Sacramento Kings
Brooklyn Nets
Chicago Bulls
Indiana Pacers
Philadelphia 76ers
Orlando Magic
Unsurprisingly, the middle-of-the-road tier is the largest. For a multitude of reasons, these teams don’t have a great chance of trading for James, but they can’t be ruled out. Would The King want to play in Sacramento, Memphis, or Indianapolis? Probably not. Would the Rockets, Thunder or Magic want to break up their young core? We don’t see that happening.

The Nets made it this far simply because of their massive market. On top of that, they have been exceeding expectations this season so it’s plausible, but still unlikely.

Tier 2: Plausible If the Deal is Right

Miami Heat
Atlanta Hawks
Los Angeles Clippers
San Antonio Spurs
Phoenix Suns
These teams have a very clear reason for pursuing James. The Heat could flip Butler and see if James offers a boost in their playoff chase, the Hawks are off to a strong start and if they could somehow keep Trae Young, suddenly they become favorites for a deep playoff run, the Clippers could swap Leonard one-for-one and see if James’ health can hold up, the Spurs found success with veteran Chris Paul leading the way and could add another older star next to Victor Wembanyama, and the Suns could swap Bradley Beal for James, although both players have a no-trade clause.

Tier 1: Ideal Landing Spots for LeBron

Golden State Warriors
Cleveland Cavaliers
For good reason, only two teams remain. There is virtually no chance that James would refuse to be sent north to San Francisco, where he could play with his friends Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Likewise, a homecoming is overdue, and the Cavs have both the means to add him and the capital to broker a deal, although their red-hot start does give them reason to stand pat before the deadline.

Fans should be well aware that the Lakers are the most likely team to employ James past the deadline, although if he asks out or the Lakers receive a solid offer, he’s not nearly as untouchable as he once was.

But moves are assumedly on the horizon for the Lakers, and GM Rob Pelinka has until February 6 to figure things out.

LA has needs at multiple positions, which makes the Lakers a good candidate for a multi-player trade.

One idea that could send good vibes throughout the Laker fan base is to re-acquire not one, but two former Laker players in such a multi-player deal.

A trade proposed over the summer by Fadeaway World’s Fran Leiva could re-surface as a viable guide for Pelinka.

Leiva envisioned LA bringing back both Kyle Kuzma (Washington Wizards) and fan-favorite Lonzo Ball (Chicago Bulls) in a deal that would send Rui Hachimura and Christian wood to the Bulls and D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and Cam Reddish to Washington.

“One potential move that could shake things up is a trade to bring back familiar faces: Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball,” Leiva said.

“With the Chicago Bulls recently acquiring Josh Giddey, they might be open to moving Ball and his contract to focus on Giddey’s development. Meanwhile, Kyle Kuzma enjoyed a solid season with the Washington Wizards, showcasing his scoring and versatility. Despite his success, the Wizards … could benefit from trading Kuzma.”

“In this trade idea, the Lakers would be taking a significant risk by betting on Ball’s health and hoping Kuzma can recapture his earlier chemistry with the team. However, the potential rewards could make this gamble worthwhile, revitalizing a roster that needs a spark”

Bringing back Kuzma and Ball would definitely inject the franchise with a dose of fun and excitement, and it might lead to more wins, too.

Due to how successful the Thunder have been this season in all facets of their game, experts are starting to realize that OKC could account for many of the NBA’s awards.

In various tweets published by popular sports personality Skip Bayless, he provided his opinions as to who he felt will win the Most Valuable Player as well as the NBA Finals:

SGA MVP.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 15, 2024
I’d like OKC’s chances better vs Giannis if Chet were healthy and blocking shots and making 3s. But he will be back and THE THUNDER WILL WIN THE WEST.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 15, 2024
And Skip is making a serious case. For Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he is averaging 30.3 points (fourth in NBA, first among guards), 6.3 assists (career high), 5.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals (tied for fourth in NBA) per game. As the leader of the Thunder, SGA is the main reason why OKC has the best record out West and the third best record in the league.

As for the team as a whole, the Thunder are doing things not seen since the all-time great franchises. As of right now, the Thunder have the second best net-rating in NBA history, only behind the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. Moreover, this Thunder team is leading the league in steals, deflections and overall defensive rating.

MORE: Thunder building the best defense NBA has seen since Bill Russell’s Celtics

With such tremendous talent at all positions to go along with the ability to score from anywhere and stop anybody, it is no wonder why people like Skip Bayless have so much faith in OKC and their chances at securing the NBA’s top awards.

On Monday morning, Forbes’ Evan Sidery cited ESPN’s Brian Windhorst in one such report.

“The Suns have legitimate interest in trading for Jimmy Butler, per (Windhorst),” Sidery said.

“Phoenix would need to include Bradley Beal in any potential trade, but he holds a full no-trade clause.”

Multiple questions immediately come to mind about a Butler-for-Beal deal. Would Beal indeed exercise his no-trade clause if Phoenix told him to pack his bags for Miami? Also, would the Heat really settle for taking on Beal’s monstrosity of a contract in exchange for Butler, especially with multiple other Butler suitors out there?

Assuming a trade could happen, Butler forming a new Big 3 in Phoenix with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker would certainly be an exciting development.

Beal wouldn’t be a bad fit in Miami, either, alongside Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.

No one expected Beal to be traded on his current deal, but then again, this is the NBA, where amazing happens.

“Another possible route the team (Hornets) can consider is making LaVar Ball happy, who recently hinted at something huge coming to Charlotte,” Swarm and Sting’s Orel Dizon wrote Saturday.

“Some folks have theorized that his eldest son, Lonzo, is on his way to the Hornets. Of course, that appears to be a little far-fetched for many reasons, even though there is a chance LaMelo Ball might want his big brother around.”

“Maybe he has been watching the Milwaukee Bucks, whose surge in the standings has coincided with the regular attendance of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s former teammate and elder sibling, Thanasis.”

“For basketball reasons, trading for the Chicago Bulls guard does make some sense, especially after watching the former No. 2 pick churn out a solid performance in the Bulls’ Friday win over the Hornets.”

“That contest saw Lonzo Ball score in double-digits for the first time in his nine appearances so far in the 2024-25 campaign.”

“He also grabbed a season-high seven rebounds and dished out four assists, which included an alley-oop connection with Zach LaVine. “

“Imagine him pulling off similar highlight-reel plays with LaMelo Ball.”

“Interestingly, the 27-year-old floor general has suited up in six of the Bulls’ last seven meetings.”

“Does this mean Lonzo Ball has recovered from the injuries that had kept him out for the entirety of the previous two campaigns?”

“That remains to be seen, although Charlotte might want to mull over rolling the dice on the University of California, Los Angeles product to help solve its lack of reliable playmakers, especially when LaMelo Ball is out of the lineup.”

Ball has had his moments in Chicago as a dynamic playmaker who can fit passes into tight windows and probe defenses. However, injuries have hindered him from regularly showcasing his versatile skill set.

The UCLA product has only appeared in 44 regular season games with the Bulls since 2021, proving he’s struggled to avoid the injury bug.

Still, it would be exhilarating to witness Ball team up with his brother, LaMelo, for the first time since high school and put on a show nightly.

With their unbelievable chemistry, unbreakable bond, and ability to complement each other’s games, the Ball brothers would undoubtedly be box office material in Charlotte.

If you’re into alternate court designs, early-season playoff intensity and neutral-site games in Las Vegas, then you’ll surely be excited for Year 2 of the NBA’s in-season tournament. Now branded the NBA Cup, teams will once more compete for the mid-season trophy that comes with a small benefit of an additional $500,000 per player.

While the name of NBA Cup Champion will never carry the same weight as NBA Champion, the tournament adds a much-needed jolt and level of intrigue to a long, meandering regular season.

The NBA Cup will have a handful of games played in Vegas this winter, giving locals the moment they’ve been waiting for — at least until NBA expansion arrives.

Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena is the place to be this December as the top teams go head-to-head in the NBA Cup Finals. The Sporting News is your guide to the matchup with how to get the best deals on tickets, arena policies and more.

BUY NOW: Tickets to 2024 NBA Cup games in Las Vegas

NBA Cup Finals tickets 2024: How to buy
There are a variety of ways to get NBA Cup tickets, but for every game, you can find tickets on StubHub.

The site offers passes for every team’s group stage games as well as the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals in Las Vegas.

Each listing has seating options in every section so fans can find the best views and best prices for their preference. So for those that want to head to Sin City for the NBA Cup Finals, regardless of participating teams, you can find in-season tournament Las Vegas tickets now on StubHub.

How much are NBA Cup Finals tickets?
NBA Cup Finals are currently going for as little as $34. However, you can find a variety of price ranges for the game.

Want to sit closer to the court? Lower bowl tickets have a starting price of $148. Passes for the Hyde Lounge are only $34, though only a few are currently available.

Tickets likely won’t get any cheaper as time until the championship game tips off, so fans should get their passes sooner rather than later to secure the best prices.

BUY NOW: Cheapest seats for 2024 NBA Cup Finals in Las Vegas

NBA Cup groups
The in-season tournament groups are divided into six pools of five divided by conference. Each team will play four total games that count towards the NBA Cup, each game against a franchise in their group.

Only eight teams, consisting of the group winners and two wild card teams, will advance to the knockout rounds in Las Vegas.