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NBA Trade Idea: Lakers Acquire Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson From Spurs

Originally posted on Hoops Wire | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 12:21 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are Luka Dončić‘s team now, not LeBron James‘. Dončić signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers this past Saturday. The NBA superstar recruited Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to Los Angeles this offseason, using his power in a big way.

LeBron will make $52.6 million next season in the final year of his contract. It might be beneficial for the Lakers and King James to part ways so Los Angeles doesn’t lose the leading scorer in NBA history for nothing in the event he leaves next summer. The Lakers aren’t a title contender as currently constructed, so LeBron requesting a trade to a better team would help him compete for his fifth championship next season.

NBA writer Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report proposed that the Lakers and Spurs complete a trade. Here are the details:

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, a 2031 first-round pick swap with the Sacramento Kings (that San Antonio acquired in the DeMar DeRozan trade) and a 2032 first-round pick swap

San Antonio Spurs Receive: LeBron James and Bronny James

LeBron would have to request a trade from the Lakers to the Spurs for this NBA trade idea to work since the future Hall of Famer has a no-trade clause in his contract.

The Lakers are getting two talented wing players in this trade: Vassell and Johnson.

“Vassell, alongside a playmaker as good as Dončić, would instantly become one of the more dynamic catch-and-shoot threats in the NBA,” Bailey wrote. “He’s hit an above-average 37.4 percent of his three-point attempts over the last three seasons, but that number is dragged way down by a high volume of off-the-bounce looks. With Luka, there would be more open triples off the catch.

“Johnson’s efficiency from the outside would also have a good chance of creeping up, and he brings the added benefit of some potential slashing and playmaking chops (he averaged 2.9 assists in 2022-23).”

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in five games. Head coach JJ Redick could start Dončić, Austin Reaves, Vassell, Rui Hachimura and Ayton next season and bring Johnson off the bench.