LeBron James is the free agent the Lakers have been waiting for, but the team’s best move might be to trade him for a brighter future. At the Los Angeles Lakers’ media day in September, LeBron James showed up to his first press conference with his new team wearing a gold jersey and a white armband. Asked if LA could beat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA’s Western Conference, James wasn’t optimistic. “We’ve got a long way to go to get to Golden State,” he replied. Despite the hype, his inexperienced Lakers have a steep hill to climb this season. James also intimated that winning a championship is not the only way for this team to triumph. “There’s only one champion, but that doesn’t mean you’re not successful,” he said. With all due respect to King James, he’s wrong. The Lakers hang only their 16 championship banners from the Staples Center rafters — not those reflecting their 23 division titles and 31 Western Conference championships. In Lakerland, it’s championship or bust. | 