Josh Hart Takes Shot at Lakers Over Old Rumors

Four-time NBA champion LeBron James helped the Los Angeles Lakers make the playoffs again. The front office signed the greatest basketball player of all time and made some really big changes. LeBron’s first season with the team didn’t go well. The team ended up trading Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and Lonzo Ball to get Anthony Davis, and the Lakers’ situation was followed by a bunch of rumors.

These rumors were so bad and it showed. Players had hard time building chemistry on the floor and missed the season. Young Lakers players struggled a lot, and most of them play with the New Orleans Pelicans now. Guess what… Ingram is a star.

The Lakers front office added Hart to the trade package. He was pretty honest about his first season with the four-time NBA champion.

“The [trade rumors] were tough on him,” Hart said of Ingram. “Before LeBron got there, he had been given the keys. And then people in L.A. were killing him: He’s not as good anymore. He’s not a great No 2. pick. The rumors became part of our lives, all year.”

Josh Hart explains Lakers rumors

Both the Lakers and Pelicans have won more games since the trade. LA won the championship inside the Orlando bubble. Davis signed his five-year contract extension. When it comes to Ingram, he was averaging over 23 points per game in 2019-20. He shocks opponents with similar numbers this season.

Ingram is an emerging star who grows into a superstar. Hart and Ball didn’t play that well, but they are great contributors. New Orleans is happy with the current situation. Keeping Davis around for a long time didn’t work for the team. Davis is doing much better with the Lakers. He and LeBron play really well, and they are going after another championship.

Julius Randle elevates the New York Knicks. The Lakers’ first-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft is averaging 22.8 points per game this season. He is also averaging 11 rebounds. Randle has taken his performance to a higher level. He and Ingram are doing wonders on the floor.