Trade proposal sends Lakers LeBron James to Spurs for $74M Kentucky star, pairing him with Victor Wembenyama

The Lakers and LeBron James have had quite the offseason so far—and not in a good way. The Lakers have reportedly unsettled James with their decision to build around Luka Dončić. Oddly, James opted into his contract with the Lakers without much fanfare, and trade rumors have since begun to circulate. ESPN's Brian Windhorst believes it may not be as far-fetched as it once seemed.

"My conversations over the last 3 days have crystallized that the Lakers are essentially viewing LeBron as an expiring contract... I'm just unlocking the door because I am not as convinced as before if it's impossibility," Windhorst said.

The un derlying issue is that James is no longer seen as the centerpiece of the franchise. That leaves the Lakers in a difficult position: they need to win now with James, but also plan for the future with Dončić.

"He's still that good. I don't think it's his last year, but the fact that the Lakers did not discuss a 1-in-1, or a 2-in-1, or contracts beyond this year with him. They just let him sit back... that tells you a lot. It's not in his control with LA," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne said.

While a trade involving James still seems unlikely, that hasn't stopped teams from picking up the phone.

"A LeBron trade still seems highly unli kely, but that hasn't stopped some teams from at least reaching out as, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, there have been inquiries from a few teams to the Lakers on a potential deal," Lakers Nation's Corey Hansford wrote.

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Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz even floated a trade proposal that would send James to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for Keldo n Johnson, Jeremy Sochan, and Devin Vassell.

"A Big 3 of James, Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox with Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle would be a force in the Western Conference both now and into the future," Swartz wrote.

A LeBron James trade would shake the NBA to its core—but a pairing with Victor Wembanyama could be historic. James could very well be the piece that delivers the young phenom his first NBA championship.

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