The Perfect Trade to Get LeBron James to the Golden State Warriors

The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the world by trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Dončić. Could LeBron James be the next blockbuster move ahead of the February 6 trade deadline?

The intention has been made clear at this early stage that James, who has a no-trade clause, will finish the season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and whatever comes next for the NBA's all-time leading scorer will be decided in June and July.

But James has to at least consider joining Steph Curry, Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors to pair two of the greatest players of all time in the twilight of their careers. Is it possible, and if so, how would it fit together for both franchises?

Spoiler: Bronny James is included in the deal to the Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors receive: LeBron James, Bronny James, Cam Reddish, Christian Wood

The Los Angeles Lakers receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Dennis Schröder, Kevon Looney, Kyle Anderson, Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield, 2025 first-round pick

Notes: The Lakers waive Shake Milton and Markieff Morris before the trade, stopping short of their $188.9 million second-apron hard cap (though they could try to shed either or both by expanding to a multi-team deal or in separate trades).

The Warriors return to the required 14 players by converting two-way Quentin Post and signing a free agent to a pro-rated minimum, staying just below the NBA's second apron.

Golden State can offer additional draft compensation if the Lakers have additional leverage, but the above framework gets most of the way there without requiring help from a third team.

The Warriors get to team up Curry with James. Not much more needs to be said.

Golden State can try to keep its depth and do a more straightforward deal with Andrew Wiggins, Kuminga, Looney and Payton, but the Lakers aren't as likely to want Wiggins' long-term salary as the franchise retools. Wiggins' defensive size would probably hold more significant value to the franchise than the lost depth.

The starting five of Curry, James, Green, Wiggins, and either Trayce Jackson-Davis or a role-playing wing with Green at center would be must-watch hoops. The Warriors would have Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Lindy Waters II, Post, Reddish, and a potential buyout player, among others, to round out the roster—plus Bronny James.

The Warriors could also look to include a third team to reroute Wood, who has been injured all season (knee).

The Lakers went from the Kobe Bryant era to the LeBron James era and are now entering the Luka Dončić era. James remains an integral part of franchise history, but he's not part of its long-term future—especially with Davis off to Dallas.

While seeing how Dončić and James fit together may be interesting, the Lakers don't have the requisite depth to compete at the highest level. The two stars' skill levels overlap and may not complement each other exceptionally well as high-usage ball-handling creators who don't put as much effort into defending the ball.

Here, the Lakers get started on the post-James future, giving Dončić a deeper squad of legitimate role-players. L.A. gets a free look at Kuminga to see if he's the athletic forward to build with, especially in an offseason where almost no teams have enough money to pry him away or raise his price in restricted free agency.

Schröder would give Austin Reaves and Dončić ball-handling help and, along with Gabe Vincent and Payton, defense at the point of attack. Looney would be an improvement defensively at center. Hield can shoot; Anderson is a connective player. L.A. retains Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt.

The Lakers may not have the best team in the West, but this would be a better squad to surround Dončić with. Only Hield and Anderson have salaries beyond the season, but they're at team-friendly figures. L.A. gets a first-round pick in June (and any other considerations it can add beyond the suggested deal). And if some pieces don't fit perfectly, the Lakers can try to add in a third team.

It's entirely up to James, who can block any trade this week or over the summer if he opts in. San Francisco is a short flight away from Los Angeles, and he'll gain the opportunity to finish his career alongside the greatest shooter in NBA history (and with his son).

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X/Twitter @EricPincus.