LeBron James' second game back with the Lakers, amid swirling trade rumors, was a disaster
- The Los Angeles Lakers suffered an ugly, 42-point loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday in LeBron James' second game back with the team.
- During the game, Pacers fans chanted "LeBron's gonna trade you!" at Lakers players involved in trade rumors for Anthony Davis.
- Later, James was seen sitting at the end of the bench by himself, several seats away from the rest of his teammates.
- The Lakers are 7-13 in their last 20 games, 18 of which came without James, and either need to make a major trade or repair things from the inside to get back on track.
While trade rumors swarm the Los Angeles Lakers, things aren't going very well on the court.
On Tuesday, the Lakers got LeBron James back for just the second game since Christmas, when he injured his groin against the Golden State Warriors. He had returned last week in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers, but sat out for rest against the Warriors over the weekend.
James' return on Tuesday didn't produce the results the Lakers were hoping for, as they got blown out, 136-94, against the Indiana Pacers. The loss was the largest of James' career.
Things turned ugly quickly for the Lakers, as they fell behind 38-67 in the second quarter. They never climbed out of the hole.
During the game, Pacers fans chanted, "LeBron's gonna trade you!" at Lakers players while they shot free throws.
The Lakers have been engaged with the New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis and reports have indicated that players like Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and other players have all been included in talks.
James also didn't look particularly engaged late in the game, sitting by himself at the end of the bench.
After the game, James said the Lakers' young players have been affected by trade talks.
"I know it has to be tough on a lot of our guys, especially our young guys," James said. "Right now, they've just never been a part of it and they're hearing it every single day - and I know that the worst thing that you can do right now is be on social media. And I know all young guys love social media. So, that definitely can't help."
James, however, took to social media after the game with what some thought was an ill-timed Instagram post about passing the 32,000-point mark.
The Lakers are now 7-13 in their last 20 games, 18 of which came without James. At 27-27, they're 2.5 games back of a playoff spot, but could still move up, with the 8th-seed Los Angeles Clippers making a blockbuster trade that sent their leading scorer, Tobias Harris, to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
Nonetheless, things haven't been pretty around the team in recent weeks. After the loss to the Warriors on Saturday, there was reportedly a locker room altercation between head coach Luke Walton and several veteran players. The situation reportedly de-escalated quickly and without any serious incidents, but it's another sign of the tension around the team.
Meanwhile, rumors have surfaced about Walton's job security, with ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Jackie MacMullan noting that James is not a supporter of Walton.
With the trade deadline approaching on Thursday, the Lakers have more time to swing a massive trade that could change their season. If they fail to make one, clearly they will have some internal repairs to do in the locker room to get back on track.
- Read more:
- The Pelicans reportedly want the Lakers to keep bidding against themselves for Anthony Davis, and it could lead to an unprecedented haul
- We're learning more about the Kristaps Porzingis trade, and it's becoming clear that it's one of the most complicated deals in recent history
- Anthony Davis' league-shaking trade request has thrown a wrench in the Celtics' master plan