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The Los Angeles Lakers could trade LeBron James so they don’t lose him for nothing this summer, and could bring in their longtime top target.
While it was previously uncertain if LeBron James would stay with the Los Angeles Lakers after this year, due to him picking up his player option and set to enter free agency this summer, new reporting by Shams Charania all but confirms he is playing the last 40 games in a Laker uniform this year.
Whether it be Charania’s reporting connecting all the dots on the wall, or Baxter Holmes’ in-depth piece detailing some of the qualms owner Jeanie Buss had with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, things don’t look good as it relates to James’ future in Los Angeles after this year.
With that said, what will the Lakers do? Signs point to him leaving over the summer, with the team getting nothing back but open cap space in return, much of which they’ll likely use on Austin Reaves, set to sign a near-max deal this summer.
However, what about trading James? That idea was previously seen as impossible with him and his agent Rich Paul’s influence over the team, but now that they have Luka Doncic. The King isn’t their top priority anymore, and while he is the oldest player in the league, he could bring immense value to teams across the league in what could be his final season or two.
At the same time, the Lakers seem to be striking out on some of their top trade targets. But if they use James as a trade piece rather than all of their other mid-level players and one available draft pick, that opens the doors on the moves they can make, with one in particular standing out.
Lakers LeBron James Trade Idea
Despite the seeming tension between James and the franchise, in a world where they do trade him, it’s still hard to see them sending him somewhere he wouldn’t want to go. But in what is expected to be the final season or two of his career, the idea of him going back to the Cleveland Cavaliers to close out his time in the league is certainly on the table.
Writing for Bleacher Report, Greg Swartz outlined a three-team trade idea that sees James go back to the Cavaliers, while the Lakers land longtime target Lauri Markkanen in the process to pair with Doncic.
Here’s his idea:
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: LeBron James, Bronny James, and Adou Thiero
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Lauri Markkanen and Jarrett Allen
Utah Jazz Receive: De’Andre Hunter, Max Strus (via TPE), Sam Merrill, Lonzo Ball, Gabe Vincent, a 2027 first-round pick (via Lakers, removing 1-4 protection to make unprotected), and a 2031 first-round pick (via Lakers, top-4 protected)
In simple terms, this is pretty straightforward for all parties involved. For Cleveland, they do not look like the title contenders many thought they would be this year. While in this idea, they would keep their star players, they could move some of their backups to regain the best player in franchise history, in what would be a storybook ending for his legendary career.
For Utah, Markkanen has been the brightest star on a team that once again looks destined for the lottery. They have a ton of young players, and this idea would bring back even more assets and picks that they could keep or trade again for another rising star, one who better fits the timeline of the rest of their roster.
For the Lakers, they end the drama with James in exchange for Markkanen, who they’ve had their eyes on for a while. As a big man and shooter, he would be a strong partner with Doncic. They’d give up a decent amount, but having a forward/center of his caliber could likely set them up for success for the rest of the decade. They’d also get the rim-running Allen, who is the perfect archetype of a player that Doncic has proven to play well with, as seen in his time in Dallas.
Lakers Trade Rumors, LeBron’s Uncertain Future
While this is a very bold trade idea, and one that, if the teams haven’t already had talks about, wouldn’t happen before the February 5th trade deadline, it does bring up some interesting points for each team involved.
But specifically for the Lakers, they do this because they’ve seemed to strike out with nearly all of their other top trade targets. Herb Jones and Trey Murphy of the New Orleans Pelicans seem off the table, as is the case with a potential trade for Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors.
Multiple league sources tell @ClutchPoints that there are no active, ongoing discussions between the Warriors and Lakers regarding Jonathan Kuminga.
The Lakers do hold interest in Kuminga, but the Warriors have made it clear LA has nothing of value to them.
There is no offer.
They’ve been linked to a few other big men, but likely none would be available that would drastically help this roster, especially if all Los Angeles is willing to give up is their package of Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Vincent, and their one tradable pick. That’s why, if Rob Pelinka and the front office want to make a groundbreaking move to give themselves a real shot at title contention, they need to discuss the idea of moving James.
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, Charania said that the end is near with the star and the team, and with all signs pointing to him walking away this summer, likely with his son, why not use his value to team like the Cavaliers, who likely value him higher than any other team in the league?
“The reality of what we have right here is the end of a relationship in terms of LeBron James and the Lakers,” Charania said, per ESPN.com. “Whether that comes at the end of this season if LeBron James decides as a free agent to sign somewhere else or he decides to retire or he decides to come back for one more year and decide he wants to retire as a Laker…The end is near however you wanna slice it.”
If the end is really near, the Lakers should take advantage and use James to land someone who can play alongside Doncic and Reaves right now.
Though a pretty far-fetched trade idea, it’s an interesting one that would see James end his career where it started, and fully start a new chapter in Los Angeles, a team that doesn’t look like it has the juice as currently constructed to win four-straight playoff rounds.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski