Lakers Trade Rumors: If LeBron Gets Dealt, What Teams Will Be In The Running To Get Him?

With reports of turmoil within the Los Angeles Lakers, there has been speculation that the team might consider trading LeBron James after just one season. The rumors come after the recent exit of team president Magic Johnson and with the Lakers failing to agree to a deal with former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue.

"You've got folks close to [Lakers owner] Jeanie Buss imploring her to trade LeBron James," said ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith on Thursday.

While it seems far-fetched to think the Lakers would part with James, he does not have a no-trade clause and may feel frustrated in Los Angeles after the team failed to lure a top free agent in the summer or land a star at the February trade deadline. The Lakers and James may feel it is in both of their best interests to cut their losses and move on, particularly after a season in which they missed the playoffs.

"You never know what dominos are going to fall right now. Whether or not it's going to affect free agents coming to L.A., whether it's going to affect LeBron James staying in L.A.," Smith said.

Smith summed up the confusion when he said, "we don't know what the hell is going on right now."

But cooler heads could prevail and the Lakers may be able to turn things around in the offseason, which is why James is expected to stay with the organization.

According to online sportsbook Bovada, the scenario of the Lakers holding onto James is the clear favorite at -600 odds. The rest of the field are longshots.

The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers both have +700 odds of acquiring James, while the Cavaliers and Miami Heat both have +1,000 odds. The Chicago Bulls have +1,500 odds and the Indiana Pacers have +1,800 odds.

Any trade talks involving James seem very premature. There have been no specific teams linked to a deal for the superstar forward.

The trade market may become clearer Tuesday after the NBA Draft Lottery.

The Lakers have a 9.4% shot at landing a top-four pick and a 2% chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick.

The Knicks, who finished with the worst record in the NBA, have a 25% of landing the top pick. They also have a 21.5% shot of landing the No. 2 pick, a 17.8% shot of landing the No. 3 pick and a 35.7% shot of landing the No. 4 pick.