The NBA offseason was, if anything, a flash in the pan. Summer league is in the rearview mirror. The NBA is still weeks away. The first preseason games are a little over three weeks away. Training camps are about a month away. You get the idea—everything is moving at a snail’s pace. You know what they say about idle minds. Well, let’s play Devil’s Advocate and make some mock NBA trades. This trade sees the Lakers start their rebuild/retool years earlier than most people expect. It will drastically change the NBA’s landscape.
This Unlikely Trade Starts the Lakers Rebuild, Shakes Up the NBA
The Lakers are choosing continuity over change this offseason. While it’s commendable, it leaves the Lakers in a precarious position. They have only added draft prospects to a team that lost to the Nuggets in the first round. Since LeBron James stepped up in Tinseltown, it has always been championship-or-bust. As LeBron’s career draws to a close and after his performance at the Olympics, it begs the question: Is LeBron’s limited time in the league better spent elsewhere? Obviously, LeBron just signed a one-plus-one extension to remain with the Lakers. For the sake of argument, let’s assume the recently signed restrictions don’t exist in this deal and he will waive his no-trade clause. This could be a stronger possibility in the regular season especially if the Lakers get off to a slow start. If LeBron leaves the Lakers, it’s better for them long-term to also let Anthony Davis leave so they can start a rebuild in earnest. As stated earlier, let’s play Devil’s Advocate and make an unlikely yet intriguing trade.
The Trade Details
The Warriors receive: LeBron James
The Rockets receive: Anthony Davis, Christian Wood
The Lakers receive: Alperen Sengun, Andrew Wiggins, Dillon Brooks, De’Anthony Melton, Amen Thompson, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Tari Eason, a 2026 first-round pick via the Warriors, a 2027 first-round pick via the Suns, two 2028 first-round picks via the Rockets and Warriors, a 2029 first-round pick via the Mavericks/Suns, a 2025 pick swap with the Warriors, and a 2027 pick swap with the Nets.
Why the Warriors Make This Deal
This trade is not as delusional as you might think. The Warriors tried to make this deal happen last season. Rich Paul had to ‘step in‘ to stop it from happening for legacy reasons. The reason given by Paul was very valid. Still, one needs a paradigm shift to see things in a new light. Curry and LeBron were rivals in their primes. They are at the end of those primes now. If LeBron had teamed up with Curry in his prime, perhaps this would be a Kevin Kevin Durant-esque betrayal. This trade would be at the end of both players’ accomplished careers. In fact, it would be two ‘old men’ teaming up to show the young ones that they still got it. Who wouldn’t get behind that storyline?
The Warriors keep their prized jewel in Jonathan Kuminga in this trade. With players like Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Buddy Hield, and Kyle Anderson, the Warriors will feel good about their chances to make a few more runs at a chip. We saw how the two-man game of LeBron and Curry worked to devastating effect. The Warriors faithful would be treated to that year-round.
Why the Rockets Do This Deal
The Rockets were opportunistic during the Mikal Bridges trade, capitalizing on it to build up trade equity. They have the draft picks and young talents to acquire a bona fide star. Lacking a top-15 player to pair with their young core, a trade with the Lakers for Davis makes so much sense. When they lost Sengun for a prolonged period, many expected the Rockets’ season to be derailed. Surprisingly, they seemed to figure things out in his absence. They would win 11 games in a row to represent their longest win streak since the 2017-18 season. This has raised questions about his fit alongside their core. By acquiring Davis, they get an All-NBA center who will be a defensive bedrock for them. As a plus, they get to keep most of their young core in Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith, and Cam Whitmore.
Why the Lakers Do This Trade
Rob Pelinka would probably spit out his coffee if he read this piece. Jeanie Buss’ reaction would probably be more dramatic. They will argue that nothing will ever make them trade LeBron away. The truth is this move helps them in so many ways. Firstly, it gives them back control of their franchise. LeBron’s presence on your team demands that you put him in the best position to succeed. With him on the Warriors, they will be free from this obligation. Though Pelinka won’t ever admit it, he will sigh in relief when the deal goes through.
JJ Redick will get a chance to prioritize development. He will have less pressure on him to succeed immediately, giving him more freedom to grow and learn. Also, the Lakers will be able to build up their young talent. They used assets to build competitive teams around LeBron. This will give them the opportunity to get promising young players like Sengun, Podziemski, Thompson, Moody, and Eason. They will also have tradable contracts in Brooks and Wiggins. These will give them the alternative to pivot and acquire a different star and then build around him.
The Last Word
This deal probably has a 0.0001% chance of happening. Still, it’s an interesting trade idea that dramatically changes the NBA landscape.
