Grade the trade: Lakers move on from LeBron James in outrageous proposal

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering the 2024-25 season with a unexpected form of momentum. Anthony Davis and LeBron James recently helped Team USA win an Olympic gold medal, and will return to the NBA hoping to win a second championship as teammates in Los Angeles.

Due to the thrilling events that transpired at the Paris Olympics, however, many are wondering if there's a better co-star for James to consider playing with: Stephen Curry.

Curry and James became teammates on a competitive stage for the first time ever during the 2024 Summer Olympics. They didn't disappoint, with the long-time rivals trading shots and creating offense with and for each other.

The future Hall of Famers put a bow on that dazzling display when they led Team USA to a 98-87 win over France in the gold medal game.

The inevitable outcome was an influx of calls for Curry and James to become teammates in the NBA. It's a fascinating possibility, but the logistics of these rivals becoming teammates on a more consistent basis are tough to map out.

One well-known analyst has attempted to climb that mountain, proposing a trade that would create one of the most fascinating big threes in NBA history.

The Trade

It's admittedly difficult to think of a trade that would enable the top two stars of the past 15 years to join forces. Neither the Golden State Warriors nor the Los Angeles Lakers would likely want to budge on allowing the face of their franchise to leave when they could instead bring someone in to help them.

On a recent episode of First Things First on FS1, analyst Nick Wright proposed a trade that would remove that factor from the equation, as he hypothetically sent both Curry and James to the San Antonio Spurs.

The intention here is clear: Gregg Popovich gets to coach a Spurs team led by Curry, James, and Victor Wembanyama. It would be a generationally special team, with the top two stars of the previous era joining forces with the up-and-coming future face of the NBA.

Led by one of the greatest coaches in NBA history, Curry and James would pursue their fifth career championship, while Popovich would go for No. 6 and Wembayana would attempt to win his first.

From the perspective of an NBA fan, the games would be nothing short of must-see with that trio of stars. Even as they enter what could be the final phase of their respective careers, Curry and James are still All-NBA players. Wembanyama, meanwhile, is unlike anyone in NBA history.

The question is: Does this trade actually make sense for anyone other than Curry, James, Popovich, Wembanyama, and the Spurs? Truthfully, it's a tough sell.

The Grade

Harrison Barnes is a high-quality veteran who can shoot efficiently and Keldon Johnson could have untapped potential. The Los Angeles Lakers would also do well to receive two first-round draft picks for a soon-to-be 40-year-old LeBron James.

The issue with this trade, however, is quite simple: The Lakers would effectively be trading James for assets that may not be of any real value moving forward.

Barnes is 32 years of age and has already seen his production and playing time enter a slight decline. He's also set to become a free agent in 2026, meaning Los Angeles would owe him $19 million for the 2025-26 season and would likely struggle to move him beforehand to clear up cap space.

Furthermore, if the goal is to simply clear cap space, then the Lakers would do just as well to let James walk when he has the option to become a free agent in 2025.

Johnson is a talented young player with upside worth exploring, but he's also coming off of a season in which he was moved to the bench due in no small part to the continued regression of his jump shot. Perhaps Los Angeles is invested in his potential, but he's not a proven enough commodity to risk trading James for.

Moreover, the two draft picks that the Lakers would hypothetically receive would likely be at the tail-end of the first round assuming the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs still have Anthony Edwards and Victor Wembanyama, respectively.

It's an entertaining idea, but losing James for what equates to an unproven talent, a 32-year-old on a statistical decline, and two late first-rounders just doesn't equate to fair value.

With all due respect, it's a trade that the Lakers can't even begin to consider—especially not when James is still an All-NBA level player.