It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are really bad right now. With a 4-10 record, the team is just above the Houston Rockets for the worst record in the Western Conference. While there are plenty of games to be played, at some point, a decision is going to need to be made about the core of the team. The combination of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook didn’t work last season, and it’s not working right now, either.
- New York Knicks
- Chicago Bulls
- Toronto Raptors
- Phoenix Suns
- Golden State Warriors
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We have heard plenty about the Lakers trying to form a trade package involving Westbrook and Davis, but it would not be shocking to see the team deal James if it meant a better outlook for the team’s future. James signed a contract extension with the Lakers in September, so he has a restriction on his trade status for this season. The Lakers cannot accept any trade packages for James until this restriction has been lifted on February 16, 2023. The deadline is February 9, which means James cannot be traded until the offseason.
The rumors are going to keep swirling if the Lakers keep losing. The Lakers are on pace for one of their worst seasons in franchise history. Once Westbrook’s $47 million is off the books, the team will have some options to rebuild this team quickly. Trading away James would maximize the potential value of rebuilding this team on the fly.
These five trade packages are ones that the Lakers cannot refuse.
New York Knicks
New York Knicks Receive: LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Mitchell Robinson, Three First-Round Picks (2023 via Pistons, 2023 via Wizards, 2024), Two Second-Round Picks (2024 via Pistons, 2025)
With the Knicks, the window for opportunity appears to be now. The team has money tied to Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and Evan Fournier for at least the next three years. The team has the point guard they need in Brunson, while Randle is an All-Star caliber player. With Robinson and Randle manning the post positions, it would allow James to go back to his natural position of small forward.
The starting lineup has potential. Brunson, Randle, Isaiah Hartenstein, Cam Reddish, and James would be solid together. In theory, Reddish and Randle can shoot the three-ball, despite both players hovering around 33% for the season. Having a player like James would draw more open shots, though. James is at his best when driving to the basket, which would keep the pressure off of these two outside shooters.
The reason for pulling off this trade would be solely because the Knicks want to win in the three-year window with all of these contracts. Barrett, Quickley, and Robinson would give the Lakers three solid core players to build around Davis for the future, while James, Randle, and Fournier would be viewed as the saviors of New York.
Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls Receive: LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Three First-Round Picks (2023 via Portland, 2026, 2028), Two Second-Round Picks (2025, 2027)
The Bulls are in wait-and-see mode at the moment. The team is struggling to stay above .500 through the first 14 games of the season. The status of Lonzo Ball is a major question mark. If Ball comes back, the team will give the core time to play together. When the core was healthy, the Bulls fought to the top of the Eastern Conference last season. However, Ball has not played since February, while the up-and-down status of Zach LaVine’s knee keeps fans wondering if he will land on an injury report any day of the week.
DeMar DeRozan is playing All-Star level basketball. Nikola Vucevic could be brought back for a cheaper price since his contract runs out this season. With DeRozan, the Bulls could take a risk and run the combination of James and DeRozan. Assuming that Ball is healthy, the team could flip the max contract of LaVine with two years of control of Patrick Williams and a plethora of draft picks. The starting lineup would feature Ball, Alex Caruso, DeRozan, James, and Vucevic. The team could even move DeRozan to shooting guard to keep Caruso on the bench and bring Javonte Green to the power forward position.
As for the Lakers, it would give Davis a young, athletic All-Star to play alongside him. In theory, there are concerns about the injuries both have, but on the other side, the risk could be worth the reward. Two explosive, athletic pieces in LaVine and Davis could carry the Lakers far. Plus, the team would have draft assets to try to make a big three a second time or build around these two players for the next two to three years.
Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors Receive: LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Pascal Siakam, Three First-Round Picks (2023, 2024, 2026), Two Second-Round Picks (2025, 2027)
The Raptors took a gamble when the team traded DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. That trade package ultimately came through as Leonard helped the Raptors win their first championship in franchise history. Leonard was the Finals MVP that season and hit one of the most iconic Game 7 shots in the second round of the playoffs against the 76ers. Another gamble could pay off and create similar memories if the Raptors acquired James.
The team could look to move the $35 million owed to Siakam and add draft capital to sweeten the deal. The Lakers would free themselves up about $10 million in salary cap space. With Westbrook’s contract expiring, the team could add a player in free agency to create a new big three with Davis and Siakam. This would be a huge add-on for Davis, as Siakam has been playing the center position in Toronto.
As for the Raptors, the team could make a run to the Eastern Conference Finals with Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby, and James. The Raptors could move Chris Boucher to the center position and then move Scottie Barnes to the bench to play a huge sixth-man role. Barnes could move back to his position of small forward, with Otto Porter Jr. moving to shooting guard and Precious Achiuwa manning the power forward position.
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns Receive: LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges, Three First-Round Picks (2024, 2026, 2027)
James has played alongside Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony. The only member of the “banana boat” picture that James has not played with is Paul. Imagine a life where James comes to the Suns and gives Paul a chance to win his first championship. This trade has real value to it because it would create a formidable crew that could run the table in the Western Conference.
For starters, the relationship between the Suns and Deandre Ayton is still up in the air. The conclusion of the playoffs featured Ayton getting benched. While Ayton signed a four-year deal with the team, there was real traction to him getting traded. If the Suns have another poor showing in the playoffs, the relationship with Ayton could be completely fractured. This gives both teams enough time to evaluate what they want. For the Suns, the window to compete with Paul is closing. Bringing in James to make a big three of Paul, James, and Devin Booker would be a legitimate tough trio to stop.
This lineup could work as well. Cameron Johnson could slide to the bench, or James could play power forward. The Suns would need to acquire a center in the offseason. As for the Lakers, Ayton could give the team a long-term answer in the middle, so Davis could return to his natural position. With Bridges on the team, this trifecta would give the Lakers a chance to rise back to the top of the defensive rating. With salary relief from Westbrook’s contract, they could go out and acquire a true point guard and quickly revamp this rebuild.
Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors Receive: LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, James Wiseman, 2025 First-Round Pick
The Warriors are going to have some tough decisions coming up. The contract extensions for Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole kick in next season. Draymond Green’s status with the team is also up in the air with his player’s option. With the slow start to the season, the Warriors could look to take advantage of their competitive window by going all in to acquire James. A team with Curry, Thompson, Green, and James might be one that could land the Warriors a fifth championship, something James has been searching for himself for the last two years.
The contract extensions of Wiggins and Poole are going to take effect next season, but that likely spells the end of James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. These three young players are critical to the team’s success, so it would require the Warriors to shed some salary, especially with the $51.9 salary hit Curry will take next season. Looking into the future, the Warriors would be able to afford the $44 million salary of James, as well as the $96 million salary for the following two years, but it would be at the cost of Wiggins and Poole.
A starting lineup of Curry, Thompson, James, Green, and Kevon Looney would run the table. Plus, the Warriors would still have Kuminga, Moody, Donte DiVincenzo, and JaMychal Green on the bench. That is a championship-caliber group. As for the Lakers, the team would have a quicker rebuild with Wiggins, an All-Star caliber player, teamed up with Davis, while Poole would provide another offensive spark. The jury is still out on what Wiseman could be, but a fresh start would let him be his player and push Davis out of being a center. A lineup of Poole, Wiggins, Davis, and Wiseman would be formidable. With the money gone from Westbrook, the team could look to acquire a point guard in the 2023 offseason.
