The Los Angeles Lakers have made it clear that Luka Doncic is the focal point of their franchise. They will no longer be catering to the wishes of 40-year-old LeBron James, which has potentially caused some friction between LeBron and the Lakers. For now, all seems to be peaceful, but a LeBron trade request could happen at any moment.
The LeBron trade rumors are widely overblown. His enormous contract and no-trade clause will make finding the ideal trade destination for him quite difficult. Still, that hasn’t stopped many from speculating on what a potential Lakers-LeBron trade could look like.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed one Lakers trade idea that would send both LeBron and Bronny James to a rival Western Conference team.
The LeBron trade idea looks like this:
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
This trade haul might not be what people expect in a LeBron trade. The Lakers won’t be receiving any big stars in return for one of the best players in their franchise’s history.
Still, this is a pretty solid return for LeBron. Vassell and Johnson are both young, proven players who can contribute on both ends of the floor. They’ve both shown they can be near 20-point-per-game scorers when given the chance.
While neither Vassell nor Johnson is ever going to become a star, they both can play a variety of roles on a winning team. Players like that are going to be important to put around Luka as he leads this new era of Lakers teams.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
So, while this might not be the type of LeBron trade return that some Lakers are hoping for, getting an aging superstar off the team for two solid players and draft capital might be the Lakers’ best option moving forward.
More NBA: LeBron’s reaction to Luka’s contract shows feelings about his teammate have changed
