Haslem hinted that the Heat are interested in accepting James again: The Lakers are not a championship team at all

This offseason, the Heat have undergone an efficient roster reshaping aims to return to the Eastern Conference championship contenders. If the team can bring LeBron James back to Miami through a trade, they will undoubtedly be the biggest winners this offseason.

Although this sounds quite far away, some important figures within the Heat have publicly expressed their interest in the big deal—including Haslem, the current vice president of basketball development at the Heat.

Earlier, when Haslem was a guest on ESPN's NBA Today, he expressed his doubts about the Lakers' existing lineup and issued a meaningful invitation to James.

Haslem said bluntly: "The current Los Angeles Lakers lineup is not a team with the ability to compete for the championship. If LeBron James really wants to be in the championship position again, he must look for another opportunity."

While expressing his dissatisfaction with the Lakers, Haslem also conveyed a clear and direct signal to his former comrades: "I know there is a place he will always be popular, he will always be popular. Just say that, you understand what I mean."

As James's trading rumors become more and more popular, Haslem's words undoubtedly ignited speculation from the outside world again. James won the 2012 and 2013 championships at the Heat and was crowned the FMVP twice.

Currently, according to ESPN, multiple championship-level teams, including the Mavericks, Warriors and the Clippers, are rumored to have contacted James' agent Rich Paul to discuss the possibility of a deal.

The 40-year-old LeBron is still in good shape in the 2024-25 season, averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, and was selected as the second team of the NBA All-NBA team. However, in the outside world, as the Lakers gradually shift their focus to Luca Doncic, James may consider proactively making a trade request.