LeBron James’ future with the Los Angeles Lakers is more uncertain than ever.
One of the only set-in-stone details the public knows about James’ future in L.A. is that he and his team are monitoring the Lakers’ moves. Signing Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart are the most significant additions the organization has made — win-now moves, but not as huge as those made by other championship contenders.
If he does not stay, James has been predicted to join Victor Wembanyama, the potential next face of the league, with the San Antonio Spurs.
Will the San Antonio Spurs Disband Their Young Core for LeBron James?
There’s a serious argument to be made that the San Antonio Spurs have the brightest future in the NBA. Led by generational talent Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have established stars, unproven talent and high draft selections ready to take the next step.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed a trade between the Lakers and Spurs could take place, sending James to San Antonio. The full proposed details are as follows:
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
Spurs Receive: LeBron James and Bronny James
According to Bailey, while the move would thin out the Spurs’ depth, the pairing of James and Wembanyama could be too enticing to pass up.
“With the right roster around him [Wembanyama] as a centerpiece, San Antonio could realistically contend,” Bailey wrote. “And while this move could hamper the team’s depth, replacing two role players with one of the greatest offensive engines of all time would nudge the Spurs closer to the ‘right roster.'”
When LeBron serves a dish, everybody eats. 🍽️
His BEST assists of the season so far!
Don’t miss Lakers/Warriors on Christmas Day: 8:00pm/et on ABC/ESPN 🏀🎄 pic.twitter.com/KhIc4m5g0N
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2024
There are plenty of obstacles that could prevent this deal from coming to fruition, but arguably the biggest is Wembanyama’s opinion on the matter. When asked if the Spurs should part with a large portion of their core for a superstar, he told Lequipe’s Maxime Aubin, “Breaking up a young core for a single player rarely works… I want the Spurs to be a balanced team, they’ve been masters of that in the past.”
Bailey went on to explain why the Spurs would benefit from the proposed trade, writing, “This is a supercharged (and supersized) version of what San Antonio just did with Chris Paul. LeBron would make Wemby’s life significantly easier on the offensive end, set him up for plenty of wide-open looks and attract more defensive attention than any of his current teammates.”
The trade market for James, if he were made available, is expected to be quite bleak, so this return wouldn’t be too shabby for Los Angeles. However, the Spurs should be incredibly hesitant to even pick up the phone.
