Rumors that LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers may request a trade have the NBA world buzzing, and one of his former teammates recently suggested that a trade could be possible this season. Last season, the Golden State Warriors inquired about trading for LeBron, only for his agent, Rich Paul, to make clear that he wouldn't be available.
Kendrick Perkins is reporting that if LeBron James requests a trade, Rich Paul likely won’t shut down any interested teams like he did last year, per @ESPNNBA.
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However, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins recently reported that Paul wouldn't stand in the way of a potential trade, possibly clearing the way for LeBron to request to be moved. If that were the case, then the Warriors would make for an ideal landing spot. After all, they already have a solid team around superstar Steph Curry and plenty of tradable assets.
A potential trade package could include Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, Jonathan Kuminga, and a
first-round pick for LeBron and Bronny James. That would be a blockbuster trade if there ever was one, with arguably the greatest player ever being traded to play alongside another all-time great. But how realistic is a potential trade between the Lakers and Warriors involving LeBron?
How realistic is a potential trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors involving LeBron James?
Whether LeBron demands to be traded will depend on how the Lakers perform between now and the February 6th, 2025, deadline. If they continue to struggle and are unable to find a trade to improve their roster, then that could result in him requesting to be moved.
That might end up being a good thing for the Lakers, with a team such as the Warriors willing to give up real assets for a player that is nearly 40 years old. Receiving a package that includes Kuminga and a first-round pick would be a solid return.
Not to mention that they could potentially repackage Wiggins and trade him to a contender in need of a starting wing. Depending on when or if a trade demand happens, the Lakers could save their three tradeable future first-rounders and try to retool with the players that they have.
If they move on from LeBron, they could look to rebuild around Anthony Davis, assuming that he doesn't also ask out. Given his age, free agency or the trade market would be their best bets to do so in a short amount of time, with the summer of 2026 featuring top free agents such as De'Aaron Fox and Trae Young (if he opts out).
Ultimately, the Lakers likely hope that LeBron doesn't demand to be traded. However, if he does, then there would be a clear silver lining for their franchise.