LeBron James had been accused of “tampering” after many felt he personally was attempting to help the Lakers’ front office bring New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.

That deal, of course, didn’t go down before Thursday’s trade deadline.

However, that doesn’t mean one can’t make jokes about the whole thing.

Charles Barkley, while talking with James and Giannis Antetokounmpo live while they were drafting for the All-Star teams, figured that out quickly.

James selected Davis to his team for next weekend’s game in Charlotte. Barkley, while sitting in the studio, had the perfect way for Antetokounmpo to make a trade for Davis.

“The best way to do this is for Giannis to trade everyone on his bench for Anthony Davis,” Barkley said, drawing laughs from everyone in the room.

James, naturally, loved it and was laughing too.

The Lakers this week were in repeated talks with the Pelicans, and at one point offered what felt like the entire Lakers roster outside of James for the star, along with multiple draft picks. The Pelicans turned them down, and will keep Davis through the end of the season.

While attempting to trade most of a team can, and has, caused some issues within the Lakers’ locker room leading up to the trade deadline, at least James has found some humor in their efforts to make the blockbuster trade.

That has to count for something, right?

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