LeBron James rumors: NBA analyst identifies Golden State Warriors and a former team for the Lakers star if he leaves
LA Lakers star forward LeBron James could be on his way out of the team. James has already shown his frustrations with the Lakers following their slow start this season. This included him hinting at the possibility of leaving the team last week. James turned 38 on Friday, which means he's running out of time to continue producing at an elite level.
All of this has fueled speculation that James will soon request a trade. According to CBS Sports' Sam Quinn, if James does, his two best options are the Miami Heat and the Golden State Warriors.
Examining the possibility of LeBron James getting traded back to Miami Heat
Starting with Miami Heat as LeBron James’ top potential trade destination, Sam Quinn explained that Heat president Pat Riley is open to a reunion with James. This comes after James left Miami as a free agent in 2014, following four seasons with the franchise.
“If James can forgive Dan Gilbert, he can forgive Pat Riley. Riley is certainly open to a reunion. In 2021, he said that there's a ‘key under the mat’ for James if he ever wants to use it," Quinn said.
Quinn then added that the Heat needs James just as much as he needs them.
“Right now, the Heat might need James to take it. At 18-17, they aren't even in the top six in the Eastern Conference a year after earning the No.1 seed,” Quinn said.
“They never adequately replaced Tucker at power forward. Jimmy Butler remains a major injury risk, and Kyle Lowry just isn't the player he used to be anymore. This current group has probably missed its window to win a championship. The Heat don't rebuild. They reload,” Quinn continued.
Later in his piece, Quinn outlined what a potential trade package involving LeBron James to Miami for picks and salary fillers might look like. However, he noted that the inclusion of shooting guard Tyler Herro may be a deal breaker for the Heat.
“Miami could offer three first-round picks along with Lowry as the primary matching salary. The Lakers would probably ask for Tyler Herro. That would be the sticking point in negotiations,” Quinn said.
Quinn then explained why James would be a good fit next to the Heat’s two-way stars, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
“Bam Adebayo is as close to peak Anthony Davis as exists in the current NBA. He's not quite the scorer Davis is, but he's nearly as good defensively and is a far craftier passer. Butler's postseason resume speaks for itself,” Quinn said.
Likewise, Quinn thinks Miami shooters like Herro and Duncan Robinson would both fit well alongside James' playmaking.
“Herro would be an ideal spacer and secondary ball-handler next to James. If he's not in the deal, LeBron could probably revive Duncan Robinson,” Quinn said.
Finally, Quinn mentioned how James’ former coach, Erik Spoelstra, also knows how to maximize his potential:
“Erik Spoelstra is the genius who figured out how to maximize James in a small-ball setting. LeBron had the best years of his career in Miami. The Heat gave him a path to championships when he needed to escape Cleveland. If he decides to escape Los Angeles, Miami's roster, coaching staff, front office, and market make it the best overall destination for the remainder of his prime,” Quinn said.
Examining the possibility of LeBron James getting traded to Golden State Warriors
Golden State was ranked second on Sam Quinn's list of potential trade destinations for LeBron James. Quinn's reasoning for the choice stemmed from James' well-documented desire to play alongside Warriors superstar point guard Steph Curry.
“James wasn't even a little subtle in April when he said that Stephen Curry would be the player in today's league with whom he'd most want to play,” Quinn said.
Quinn added that the Warriors’ big market should be appealing to James.
“The Bay Area isn't quite New York or Los Angeles, but it's still an extremely appealing market thanks to Silicon Valley. Golden State's ownership has hinted that it doesn't plan to pay for a half-billion dollar payroll in the near future, but perhaps they'd change their tune if it meant access to all of the ancillary revenue streams James creates,” Quinn said.
It’s unclear if Golden State would be interested in making a blockbuster move to shake up their 2022 championship roster. However, Quinn thinks the Warriors’ slow start this season may put pressure on them to make a big move to help defend their title.
“The Warriors may not have felt they needed James to compete for a fifth championship before the season. Their poor start could make them more aggressive,” Quinn said.
Quinn then outlined what Golden State would have to give up in a deal for LeBron James. He noted that they would be forced to include at least one member of their core in any deal.
“One of the following four players has to be in it as matching salary: Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Jordan Poole or Andrew Wiggins,” Quinn said.
Quinn also explained that James may not want to face criticism similar to what Kevin Durant faced in 2016 for joining the Warriors' title team.
“Would James want to open himself up to the same criticism Durant faced in 2016? Probably not, but he can't be as picky as he used to be,” Quinn said.
However, Quinn noted that James’ relationship with the Warriors’ core is so strong that it may be worth the risk for both sides.
“If there was any question about his relationship with Golden State's core, those were answered when he attended Green's wedding and took pictures with Green and Curry while holding up four fingers. They're the four rings club. Together, they could push for five or six," Quinn said.
It's unclear whether the Lakers will even consider trading LeBron James this season. The team is currently 15-21 and 13th in the Western Conference, but it is only 3.5 games behind eighth place. They still have time to make things right. But all things considered, it looks like James is as close as ever to being traded for the first time in his career.
For Sam Quinn’s full article outlining the likeliness of LeBron James being traded to all 29 teams outside of the Lakers, click here.
Also read: LA Lakers Rumors: Insider predicts Kyrie Irving will join LeBron James this year