A stunning report reveals Jeanie Buss once considered trading LeBron James to the rival Los Angeles Clippers after the Westbrook trade's fallout.
Baxter Holmes' latest ESPN report has revealed one of the most insane behind-the-scenes moments in recent Los Angeles Lakers history, and it involves LeBron James and a potential trade to the crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers.
The report, which details the Buss family infighting that led to the $10 billion sale of the team to Mark Walter, includes a surprising revelation about Jeanie Buss's feelings toward James following the Russell Westbrook trade.
What Jeanie Buss Was Thinking
According to Holmes, Buss was not happy with how things played out after the team acquired Westbrook in 2021 to try to build a championship contender around James and Anthony Davis.
After the trade fell flat and the team missed the playoffs entirely, Buss reportedly started to sour on her star player.
"In 2022, in the aftermath of the Westbrook trade, multiple people said Jeanie privately mused about not giving James a contract extension and, later that year, even about trading James, with the LA Clippers floated as a possibility," Holmes reported. "This was before James received a no-trade clause in July 2024 after signing a new two-year, $104 million contract."
What the Clippers Looked Like in 2022
At that time, the Clippers were coming off a season without Kawhi Leonard due to injury, but they still had him under contract alongside Paul George and a deep supporting cast.
Adding a player like James, who was averaging over 30 points per game at the time, could have created one of the most talented rosters in league history and given the Clippers a real shot at their first ever NBA championship.
The thought of LeBron teaming up with Leonard and George would have sent shockwaves through the basketball world and completely changed the landscape of the Western Conference.
Where Things Stand Now
Today, the two Los Angeles teams are in very different spots.
The Lakers currently sit at 26-16 on the season with LeBron James averaging 22.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 6.9 assists alongside Luka Dončić, who is putting up 33.3 points per game.
Meanwhile, the Clippers have struggled to a 19-23 record and are fighting just to stay in the playoff picture.
James never went anywhere, and now he has a no-trade clause that gives him full control over his future.
The 41-year-old is in his 23rd season and continues to produce at a high level despite missing time earlier this year with sciatica.
For now, it looks like both sides have moved past whatever tension existed in 2022.
James and Dončić have started to find their rhythm together, and the Lakers are positioned as a playoff team in the Western Conference.
But the Holmes report shows just how close things may have come to a move that would have changed both franchises forever.