The NBA trade game has always been complex to keep track of. When LeBron James opted into his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers for this season, many precedents were established. A shift from the James to Luka Doncic era is quite evident to anyone who follows the sport. Add to this the tension of 2026-27 being the first year since the 2018-19 season that James becomes a free agent.
In the midst of all this change, Eric Pincus from the Bleacher Report feels the Lakers’ safest bet would be to initiate a trade for James.
The proposal
Pincus proposes not just a straightaway but a five-way trade bargain to help James and the Lakers find their right picks. As per his trade proposal:
Mavericks get:
LeBron James (from Lakers)
Bronny James (from Lakers)
Andre Jackson Jr. (from Bucks)
Tyler Smith (from Bucks)
Drew Timme (from Nets)
Lakers get:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (from Bucks)
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (from Mavericks)
Tyrese Martin (from Nets)
$4 million trade exception (Dalton Knecht)
$2 million trade exception (Bronny James)
Bucks get:
RJ Barrett (from Raptors)
PJ Washington (from Mavericks)
Caleb Martin (from Mavericks)
Naji Marshall (from Mavericks)
$2 million trade exception (Tyler Smith)
2026 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)
2026 Lakers second-rounder (via Raptors)
2028 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)
2030 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)
2031 first-rounder (from Lakers)
2032 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)
Raptors get:
Daniel Gafford (from Mavericks)
$13.3 million trade exception (RJ Barrett)
Nets get:
Dalton Knecht (from Lakers)
Jaden Hardy (from Mavericks)
Dwight Powell (from Mavericks)
What’s in it for the Lakers?
As per Pincus, this trade deal is a golden opportunity for the Lakers to create their next star pair from Doncic and Antetokounmpo. “The chance to pair Antetokounmpo with Dončić is a no-brainer for the Lakers. The relationship with James is nearing an end; L.A. didn’t offer him a two-year deal this summer, prompting James to opt in. For a superstar accustomed to almost always getting what he wants contractually, James has obviously noticed the shift from the James to Dončić eras,” Pincus writes.
“Any deal the Lakers make with James must come with his endorsement, since he has the no-trade clause. From the franchise’s point of view, it should get a massive haul for James. His age, however, limits how much other teams are willing to give. The collection of players going to the Bucks may be solid, but the Lakers need to give up essentially all of their available first-round compensation, plus Knecht (and Bronny James).”
“Ultimately, L.A. doesn’t lose significant depth. Prosper and Martin are in the deal to help balance roster spots with the participating teams. The Lakers can replace Martin with a vet on a minimum contract; regardless, the franchise won’t be able to get to 15 players until deeper into the season when contracts pro-rate low enough to fit within the first-apron hard cap.”
The Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to face the Phoenix Suns in their preseason opener on October 4.
By Stuti Gupta
