Phil Jackson seems to want the Los Angeles Lakers to go full Keyser Söze mode this offseason.
Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times said this week during an appearance on “The Doug Gottlieb Show” (h/t Silver Screen & Roll) that he has heard Jackson, who has recently been advising the Lakers, would like them to trade LeBron James. Plaschke, who has covered the Lakers and L.A. sports for several decades, including when Jackson still used to coach the Lakers, did add that there is nothing “on the record” to back up the claim that Jackson wants James traded. But Plaschke did also say that Jackson would like the Lakers to keep Russell Westbrook and try to make it work with him.
Jackson, who coached the Lakers to five NBA titles, is the ex-fiancé of Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and remains close with her. He was recently revealed to be advising the Lakers again and will have a key part in one major upcoming decision for the team.
This may be a case of Jackson being proactive with his suggestions, realizing that James, who averaged 30 points per game this season, still has plenty of trade value, while Westbrook has little to none right now. Jackson would not be the first one to propose the Lakers move on from the 37-year-old James while they can still get something in return for him. But it is worth noting that James and Jackson have prominently feuded in the past.
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