NBA News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

LeBron James. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Analyst floats Lakers-Warriors LeBron James trade that 'works'

By Jeff Smith | Last updated 5/25/23

The beginning of the NBA offseason is essentially a free-for-all of wild thoughts, rumors, trade ideas and anything in between. In a way, it's what makes the offseason so beautiful.

And for fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, from the moment their team's season ends, it's immediately time to make sure all seatbelts are fully fastened. The first few days of the 2023 NBA offseason for the Lakers have been no different, with the team already linked to the likes of stars Kyrie Irving and Trae Young as potential free agent fits or trade rumblings.

But while Irving and Young make sense on paper, the latest chatter has really sent things into a tailspin. After The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor stated that "interest between LeBron and the Warriors could be mutual," it opened all the fun and awful trade ideas imaginable.

Colin Cowherd was among the many that came out, and his idea of Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Jordan Poole wasn't the worst of the ones floating around. Cowherd stated that Wiggins, Kuminga and Poole for James "works."

LeBron James to the Warriors isn't as crazy as it sounds:

"Wiggins, Kuminga and Jordan Poole. It works." — @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/ZcIk0LzCFD
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 24, 2023

While it may work on paper, it's highly unlikely that it'd work for the Lakers in terms of grabbing their interest. The core of many "trade LeBron" arguments seem to focus on the fact that he's 38 years old, but even when factoring that in, if the Lakers just went completely off-the-wall and opted to deal arguably the best player in NBA history, it'd take much more than those three players, with all due respect.

The next off-the-wall Lakers-Warriors trade involving LeBron James

Before falling over backward to criticize the Wiggins, Kuminga, Poole hypothetical deal, FS1's Nick Wright made sure to one-up that offer on "First Things First" with his own hypothetical deal. Wright's proposed trade for James doesn't even include Wiggins.

Wright proposed the Lakers deal James for a trio of Poole, Kuminga and Moses Moody. While all three young players certainly have upside, his pitch for the deal and why it makes sense isn't going to send the Lakers fanbase into a frenzy.

"The Warriors starting lineup would be Steph, Klay, LeBron, Draymond & Looney, with Wiggins and GP2 off the bench. That team wins the title."

He'd very likely be correct with the analysis that a group of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, James and Draymond Green would win a title. There's also virtually no chance that happens, as it makes zero sense for the Lakers to even entertain either of these offers. Even if the team decided to undergo a full rebuild for no reason, this deal and hypothetical offer wouldn't be enough.

More must-reads: