NBA Mock Trade: Lakers Ship LeBron James To San Antonio Spurs In Mega Deal

LeBron James is undoubtedly one of, if not the greatest, players of all time. Even at the age of 40 in his 22nd season, he was still All-NBA Second-Team last season. Ahead of this past Sunday's deadline, he exercised his $52.6 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers. After exercising his option and repeatedly saying that he wanted to retire with the Lakers, it seemed that he was locked in with LA for at least this upcoming season without question. However, his agent and close friend Rich Paul has since come out with some interesting comments that could be laying the groundwork for LeBron's exit from the City of Angels.

“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future," Paul said. "We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career... He (James) knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie (Buss) and Rob (Pelinka) and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”

While this isn't a direct trade request, it makes it pretty clear that if the Lakers aren't looking to make moves to win now, then The King wants out. It makes sense that with James likely in his final few years of his career, he wants to make another run at a championship, both as a competitor and a legend who cares about his legacy.

LeBron James will look to finish his career with another team if he feels he can’t compete for a championship with the Lakers, per @ShamsCharania

It could really be happening. pic.twitter.com/ArZayvpSs1
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 1, 2025

One team that hasn't come close to the mountain top yet, but could be very close to becoming a force in the NBA, is the San Antonio Spurs. Joining the Spurs would allow him to use his experience to guide a young team and lead them on a potential title run, without having him just join a championship-caliber team and look like he's ring chasing.

What would a LeBron to Spurs deal look like?

LA Lakers - San Antonio Spurs Mock Trade

Spurs Receive

LeBron James

Bronny James

Jared Vanderbilt

Lakers Receive

Devin Vassell

Keldon Johnson

Jeremy Sochan

Julian Champagnie

2026 First Round Pick

2028 First Round Pick

Why the Trade Makes Sense for the Spurs

While they are giving up a lot of young talent, they are getting one of the greatest players to ever live on their team. The team is still loaded with young talent who can learn from LeBron. James's playmaking ability will make everyone better, while having other ball-dominant players on the court like De'Aaron Fox, Victor Wembanyama, and Stephon Castle will make life physically easier on an aging King. The fact that they can get this deal done without moving Castle is also a huge win for the franchise. The addition of James accelerates their championship window from a few years down the road to now.

Why the Trade Makes Sense for the Lakers

If the Lakers are looking long-term, then a 40-year-old star simply doesn't fit in. Getting a haul of young players to build around Luka Doncic makes all the sense in the world. Vassell is an excellent 3-and-D player, which the Lakers have been trying to find for years now. Johnson is a former first-round pick who has proven he can drop 20-plus points for you when needed. Sochan also does everything he's of and is the glue guy that top teams need. Champagnie is a rotational piece who makes the money work. Not having to take on Harrison Barnes contract is also a big win for LA here.

Fantasy Basketball Impact on Spurs

LeBron would see his scoring drop while his assists soar. We'd still expect him to score more than 20 points per game, but his true value would come from his passing, which could come close to league-leading in San Antonio. His defensive stats could also see an uptick if he's conserving more energy on offense. For Fox and Wembanyama, we don't see much of a drop-off for them. Despite losing touches and shots to James, his playmaking skills should make up for the loss of volume by raising efficiency.

Fantasy Basketball Impact on Lakers

Doncic immediately becomes one of, if not the top, fantasy option in the league. He'd immediately become the favorite to win the scoring title and will have the highest usage rate in the league. For the Lakers, it becomes all about Doncic for the foreseeable future.