The Golden State Warriors may have strong interest in luring LeBron James away from the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, but their only real shot at landing the superstar forward may be to complete another blockbuster move in the process.
Trading Jimmy Butler and a pick or two for Anthony Davis would be an unpopular move among many fans, yet might be exactly what the Warriors need to do in order to also sign James in free agency.
Warriors' LeBron James dream may hinge on Anthony Davis trade
Speaking to 95.7 The Game's Willard and Dibs on Wednesday, ESPN's Marc J. Spears hinted that James was likely to remain at the Lakers, and that the Warriors would need to get creative to make themselves more enticing to the 4x MVP.
"Somebody that's close to the King (James) suggested to me that he was staying in LA. The Warriors need to be creative from a veteran standpoint to bring somebody else in that could give an extra boost to this team," Spears said.
Spears mentioned multiple players Golden State could look at, including James' former teammates in Davis and Kyrie Irving. Of the players that make the most sense and could help entice James to sign with the Warriors, Davis certainly sits atop the list given their history together and the franchise's need for a star big man.
There's already been reports of Davis potentially being available this summer, as surprising as that would be given he's yet to play a game for the Washington Wizards. But despite Butler's torn ACL injury and the fact he'll miss a significant period of next season, many fans would be frustrated by giving him up (and a valuable pick) for the injury-plagued Davis who is also due a contract extension.
Anthony Davis trade would be another example of LeBron's power
The bigger frustration may not be the trade itself, but the idea of pandering to a 41-year-old James who may only play one year with the franchise. James has previously been famous for leveraging his power to force his teams into moves that suit his timeline, including when the Lakers traded a host of picks and young players for Davis back in 2019.
In fairness to James, Golden State superstar Stephen Curry might be the exception when it comes to stars pressuring their franchise for win-now moves. One of the most famous trades of the last decade, the Paul George move that saw Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a host of assets head to the Oklahoma City Thunder, came because it was a condition of Kawhi Leonard signing with the L.A. Clippers.
Still, it's one thing to cater to your superstar in the middle of their prime, and another to cater to a 41-year-old who's not even on the team yet and who remains likely to stick with his current team.
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