LeBron James Trades: 3 'Earthquake' Deals for the Lakers Star

Since starting the season 10-4, the Lakers have steadily crumbled, going 3-7 in their last 10 games. The issues with the team are many, but the fact that they’re again careening toward another season with win totals in the mid-40s, with a likely playoff spot and a first-round ouster to follow, has raised a new specter for the franchise: The possibility that LeBron James will seek a trade and, with his 40^th birthday just weeks away, will finish his career elsewhere.

To be clear, that’s a longshot. First, James has not indicated he wants out, which would be a prerequisite for any deal. Second, Lakers owner Jeanie Buss is an adherent to her father’s policy that you do not trade away superstars, even disgruntled ones (see: Bryant, Kobe circa 2007).

And finally there is the current NBA collective-bargaining system, riddled with hard-caps that make major trades difficult. As one league source said, “Trading LeBron James is an earthquake move. The way the league is set up now, it is very, very hard to do earthquake moves.”

Still, put the question to some league executives, and at least a deal is plausible. There are not many teams to which James would agree to be traded, but asking around, three rose to the surface.

With that, let’s answer the question: If the Lakers did trade LeBron James, what would the options be?

1. Golden State Warriors

Warriors get: LeBron James, Bronny James, Maxwell Lewis

Lakers get: Andrew Wiggins, De’Anthony Melton, Kevon Looney, Brandin Podziemski

Notes: The Warriors have been in touch with the Lakers since last year about a trade for LeBron James, and maybe the prospect of closing up his career alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green could change his mind about leaving L.A.

Western Conference exec: “There would be a pretty narrow window to make a deal work with the aprons and all of that, but the Warriors have the pieces, maybe more than anyone, to get a deal done. Give them some players who can help them stay competitive, and some younger guys who can keep them relevant longer, and it’s a winner for both teams. Wiggins, Podz, they could be good pieces around Anthony Daivs. The only question to me would be, does L.A. demand a (first-round) draft pick, and would that ruin the whole thing? I don’t think the Warriors would want to give one.”

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers get: LeBron James, Bronny James, Jaxson Hayes

Lakers get: Darius Garland, Max Strus

Notes: James could seek to go home to Cleveland to close the book on his NBA life. It would be a fitting trade, and the Cavs may be the only place that could send back a true star player—Darius Garland—to L.A. Garland and fellow guard Donovan Mitchell are playing well together, but a Mitchell-James pairing has a higher ceiling, at least in the short term. The Cavs would be selling high on Garland, but they could jettison Strus’ money, too.

Eastern Conference exec: “The Cavs have had a belief that they can make Garland and Mitchell work together and they’ve pretty much rejected any teams asking about either of those guys. The Lakers would make a deal for Garland in a heartbeat, but would Cleveland? A lot of sentimental value, bringing LeBron back to a good Cavs team. But Garland is 24. LeBron’s 40. The Lakers would get a steal if they could get the Cavs to make a deal like that.”

3. Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks get: LeBron James, Bronny James

Lakers get: PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Maxi Kleber, Naji Marshall, Mavs’ 2027 first-round pick

Notes: James has long had an eye on playing for the Mavericks, and teaming with Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving is an enticing notion. But the Mavericks will have trouble matching any major salaries should they seek to make a trade this winter, because their payroll is dominated by Doncic and Kyrie Irving. To trade for James, they’d have to gut their frontcourt depth.

Western Conference exec: “If LeBron says, ‘I want to go to Dallas,’ it is going to be tough for the Mavs to say, ‘No, we’re good.’ But they would almost have to because they have so much trouble matching Bron’s contract. They’d probably have to make a bigger deal to make it work, but, the Lakers would have their eye on a draft pick, that would be the big draw. It could be that LeBron-Mavs deal gets on the table—Mark Cuban has mellowed but he still wants to catch lightning in a bottle when it is there.”