Getty LeBron James and Stephen Curry excited after a win
The idea of pairing LeBron James and Stephen Curry is an exciting one. Whether it’d be with the Los Angeles Lakers or Golden State Warriors, basketball fans around the world would get to watch two all-time greats play together.
Lakers would get: Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Kyle Anderson, Gary Payton II, three first-round picks, two pick swaps
Warriors would get: James
The Lakers would have to attach another player in this deal for at least $3.0 million for the trade to work financially, according to Fanspo’s NBA trade machine.
“The Lakers would need to wait until after Dec. 15 before making this deal, since Anderson was brought on as a free agent this summer,” Kirschenbaum wrote on September 24.
“Obviously, Golden State would likely prefer to ditch Moses Moody over the more promising Kuminga, but the two sides may be pretty far apart from terms on a contract extension, to the point where it might behoove them to move on. Given James’ advanced age, the Warriors may balk at offloading three future first round picks, but his current talent would certainly make him worth the long-term risk.”
Warriors Attempted to Trade for James During 2023-24 Trade Deadline
The Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors discussed a trade for James’ during the trade deadline last year.
However, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, neither the Lakers nor James were willing to negotiate a deal.
“Over a clandestine 24-hour window prior to the trade deadline Thursday that included owner-to-owner conversations, the Golden State Warriors made an unsuccessful bid to convince the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James to consider a trade to pair him with longtime rival Stephen Curry, sources told ESPN.
“The Warriors were eager to present a package deal to L.A., but neither the Lakers nor James were willing to explore a potential blockbuster,” Shelburne wrote on February 14. “Even at 39 years old, James is still playing at an All-NBA level that stirred the Warriors’ imagination about his ability to extend the window of the franchise’s fading dynasty.”
While those trade talks didn’t go anywhere last deadline, it’s always possible that they come up again.
James’ Agent Wasn’t Fond of a Trade to the Warriors
There could be some backlash if James were to leave the Los Angeles Lakers for the Golden State Warriors.
According to Marc Stein of Substack, James’ agent, Rich Paul, was “adamantly” against trading James to the Warriors.
“It is believed that the Lakers would have reluctantly entertained trade conversations with the Warriors before last February’s trade deadline if James wanted them to seriously engage Golden State on a potential deal,” Stein wrote in August.
“Yet league sources say that the reported talks between the teams at the time never got that far in large part because James’ agent Rich Paul was adamantly opposed to the idea of James swapping Southern California for Northern California.”
If James, the Lakers, and his agent didn’t want to finalize a deal last deadline, that could indicate that he wants to finish his career in Los Angeles. James signed a two-year, $101 million deal in the offseason to stay with the Lakers.
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Lakers Trade Pitch Would Move LeBron James for 3 1st-Rounders & More