Insider floats idea of Lakers adding All-Star big man in LeBron James sign-and-trade

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Insider floats idea of Lakers adding All-Star big man in LeBron James sign-and-trade

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Jun 24, 2026 1:20 PM ET

Since LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time, fans and the media have speculated about another homecoming.

With James entering free agency, and with the end of his career zooming in, he has the perfect opportunity to go full circle again.

And now that the Los Angeles Lakers have committed big bucks to keep Austin Reaves in town, the writing might be on the wall for the four-time NBA champion.

Considering that, ESPN insider Brian Windhorst revealed that the Lakers would actually be okay with his departure, though they'd rather use him in a sign-and-trade to get Jarrett Allen.

The Lakers want to trade LeBron James for their center of the future

“There is a thought process out there in Los Angeles, and I think if the Cavs were interested in this, the Lakers would sit up in attention right now, that they would sign and trade LeBron for Jarrett Allen,” Windhorst told ESPN Cleveland. “And I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron.”

"I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron, obviously LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs," - @WindhorstESPN says the Lakers would KILL to get Jarrett Allen in a trade for LeBron. pic.twitter.com/WiFmIABUiE
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 24, 2026

The Lakers are in the market for a rim-running big man, and while Allen isn't a superstar, he's been an All-Star and is an efficient scorer, not to mention a glass cleaner on the offensive and defensive boards.

The Cavaliers would obviously embrace James back home for the final stretch of his career. And, given Allen's postseason shortcomings, this move might give them a way out of his contract.

“Obviously, LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs, but your pathway to pay LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him. The Lakers would kill for Jarett Allen. Kill for him. Alright, they would do that deal in 17 tenths of a second.”

Finishing his career in Cleveland would be a fitting end for James, who's also been tied to a move to the Golden State Warriors.

As for Allen, he'd get to play with Luka Doncic, one of the best pick-and-roll operators in the world, who has already led a team to the NBA Finals with that type of big man by his side.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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