Lakers News: NBA Writer Proposes Trade To Send LeBron James to Warriors
Ever since Los Angeles Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James spoke out last week against his team's utter mediocrity following yet another dispiriting loss, this time a 112-98 defeat against his former Miami Heat club, voices around the NBA have been abuzz about the possibility of a trade that could return James to championship contention.
Sam Quinn of CBS Sports suggests that the two favorites to land The Chosen One, still one of the league's best scorers at age 38, are his old stomping grounds in Miami (a possibility that others have pitched) and the club against whom his Cleveland Cavaliers faced off in the NBA Finals from 2015-18: the Golden State Warriors.
The reigning champs have cycled through superduperstar forwards before, but even Kevin Durant couldn't compete with the popularity of two-time MVP point guard Stephen Curry. James might be better equipped to defer to another, more beloved local figure, having been through that exact scenario once previously. When the 18-time All-Star played for a Miami Heat team led by 2023 Hall of Fame shooting guard Dwyane Wade, Flash was understandably the heart and soul of the franchise. James was its best player, and their friendship remained strong regardless of the pecking order.
James has entered another stage in his career, and this season had seemed happy to cede touches to Lakers All-Star big man Anthony Davis, who when healthy has looked like the better player. Would James be comfortable with a similar arrangement on an established dynasty as he looks to add further hardwire to his mantel?
“In today’s game, sh** there’s some m****f**** in today’s game, but Steph Curry’s the one that I wanna play with for sure,” James said. "I love everything about that guy... When he get out his car, you better guard him, right from the moment he pulls up to the arena!"
Quinn notes that a well-compensated Curry co-star needs to be included in such a transaction, likely Draymond Green or Klay Thompson. Given that Green is a Klutch Sports client and friend to James, Klay Thompson and his maximum salary could be a solid candidate. Thompson is from LA, is the son of Lakers broadcaster and former Showtime role player Mychal Thompson, and seems to have plenty left in the tank after scoring 54 points for Golden State in his most recent game with the club Monday.
Beyond one of the team's pricier non-Curry assets( if it's not Green or Thompson, the contract of a younger piece like Andrew Wiggins or Jordan Poole would fit), Quinn suggests that any deal would also need to include future draft capital and at least one of the Warriors' intriguing recent lottery picks, like Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody or James Wiseman.
