NBA trade rumors: Cleveland Cavaliers just might let go of LeBron James

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) goes to the basket for a slam dunk in this photo.Reuters/Andrew Dieb-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been a tremendous team for the past seasons and a big chunk of that is due to LeBron James' talent. It would seem outrageous at this point for the Cavs if they ever think of trading the reason why they have a championship. However, if it is for the betterment of the organization, then trading him may just be the key.

Despite the Cavs' dominant performances over the last few years, their start for this season is quite disappointing especially to their fans. At a 7–7 standing, fans would naturally expect a higher win–loss ratio. On the general side of things, the team did lose Kyrie Irving, another star responsible for winning their first championship. However, they did gain Isaiah Thomas in exchange. Basing it on statistics, while Irving does have better averages than Thomas, there is not much difference, according to NESN.

Thomas has been out for a few games due to his hip injury but even then, the team just looked scattered on the floor. The defense did not look the same as during their winning season. Most of their wins were mostly due to James' scoring. If this keeps up for the team, the Cavs management may just have to let go of their most prized star.

If they get to trade him before his contract expires, they sure are to get something big in return given James' value. This is a more likely option than letting him go for nothing when he hits free agency. Trading James would then also mean putting the team on a rebuild mode.

As for James, there are already rumors of his possible team destinations. At this point, Lakers are the clear favorites. It makes a lot of sense for the team to acquire James, having the cap space and the key players he needs. However, if this is solely just about James, he could be the man to change the New York Knicks. According to Metro US, the Knicks have not been much of a destination for stars. The team is not run as well as people thought too. If James comes in and brings Madison Square Garden back to life with his outstanding games, it would mean that he gets a better chance at proving himself better than the Goat himself, Michael Jordan.

As for now, these are all just speculations. Cavs may end up trading Kevin Love instead too and James does not seem like he will be moving teams any time soon.