Grade the Trade: Warriors land superstar in mock deal if Lakers stumble out of gate
By Cal Durrett
Grade the Trade: Would the Warriors agree to the trade?
The Warriors tried to land Paul George and Lauri Markannen this summer but came up short. Instead, they were forced to pivot to stock up on options such as Kyle Anderson, De'Anthony Milton, and Buddy Hield.
If the Lakers struggle early on and the Warriors can stay in the playoff race, then they would be an attractive landing spot for LeBron. Curry and LeBron have been rivals since 2015. However, after their Olympic pairing, it might be more likely that they'd pair up but only if the Lakers aren't in play-in tournament contention by the trade deadline. In that case, then offering Looney, Payton II, Wiggins, and two firsts would be the ideal trade package for them.
Looney and Payton II aren't major parts of the Warriors and are on expiring contracts worth $17 million. Add in Wiggins, who has two years remaining and they'd be able to match salary. Giving up a first and a top-10 protected first would be more than worth it to swap out an average starting wing for an all-time great. This is especially true if they can get a season and a half of LeBron and Curry together.
That may also coincide with Draymond Green's retirement, allowing the Warriors to reset around Curry and young players such as Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga. It makes too much sense for Golden State but how about the Lakers?