Oh. My. God. The league has officially been turned on its head. The blockbuster Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis trade has completely changed the Western Conference outlook for this season and the future.
With Doncic still injured and the Lakers looking much better suited for the future than this season, there could be more moves for the Lakers to make before the NBA trade deadline. One option is that the shake-up in Los Angeles could open the door for the Warriors to try and trade for LeBron James as they attempted at the same point last season.
This blockbuster trade has renewed discussion around a LeBron James move to the Warriors
Reports suggest that LeBron was not involved in the Luka-AD trade talks before they took place. This fact alone opens up a world of possibilities. Could LeBron be frustrated with his organization by being blindsided? Are the Lakers less interested in building around 40-year-old LeBron and looking more toward the future? The Mavericks-Lakers trade shows us that anything is possible.
“This deal materialized in the shadows … LeBron James had no idea this was coming. Anthony Davis had no idea this was coming. I’m told Luka Doncic is still stunned about this trade.”@ShamsCharania on the Anthony Davis-Luka Doncic trade between the Lakers and Mavericks pic.twitter.com/Hp4bL3UX2M
— ESPN (@espn) February 2, 2025
While the Lakers did acquire a franchise superstar for the foreseeable future, they also gave up a superstar in his own right and their defensive anchor. This creates a need for them to add some defense and increase their athleticim -- could a Warriors-LeBron trade solve some of those issues?
Warriors have tried to make a LeBron trade before
Last season the Warriors quietly attempted to trade for LeBron. Although the trade didn’t end up happening, the Warriors intention of pairing Stephen Curry with his longtime rival shocked many.
Curry and LeBron have become much less adversarial over the last few years. We saw them dominate together in the Olympics, while LeBron has also said that playing with Curry would be a dream. Could it finally be the time to get this duo together on an NBA floor?
It was previously assumed that any chance of the Lakers trading LeBron would come by his request. Now that doesn’t seem as obvious. This means that the Lakers could look to get younger and add defense to build a team around Luka.
I’m hearing LeBron James to Warriors has major legs now…
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 2, 2025
Oh my goodness. pic.twitter.com/kQeSEPP67k
The Warriors have multiple players that could fit the bill. Draymond Green is the first that comes to mind. Although only slightly younger than LeBron, he brings elite defense and a similar playmaking skillset at the forward position. One would think if the Warriors want James, it would be to pair with Green as the two have become close over recent years.
Andrew Wiggins would be an even more enticing option for the Lakers to seek. Wiggins locked up Luka in the playoffs just a few years ago, and bringing youth, athleticism and his perimeter defense to the Lakers could be a much better fit than LeBron going forward.
The Lakers probably want to see what things look like with LeBron and Luka. However, there is no doubt that this huge move opens up all sorts of possibilities for more league-changing trades. Could a Warriors-LeBron trade be the next big shocker?