The Los Angeles Lakers did not go all-in on a big deal or free-agent acquisition this summer to maximize LeBron James’ championship window, allowing the team to reset.
This summer, James re-signed with the Lakers on a two-year deal worth $101 million that includes a no-trade provision and a player option for 2025-26. Thus, he might reject any offer and remain in Los Angeles to play with his eldest son, Bronny James, whom the Lakers selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA draft.
However, James will turn 40 in December and is still two rings behind Michael Jordan, whom some argue he is still chasing as the greatest player in history. The Lakers have had the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed in each of the last three years, losing in the first round twice.
The team is over the salary cap and in the luxury tax, with little opportunities for major improvement this summer and/or before the February 2025 trading deadline. It has D’Angelo Russell’s salary ($19 million) and two first-round picks (2029, 2031) to make a deal, but that may not be enough to land a true third star to complement James and Anthony Davis.
James could fulfill his ambition of playing with his son in the preseason/early part of the year before pursuing a fifth championship with the Golden State Warriors ahead of the deadline, safe in the knowledge that he helped his son get a four-year NBA contract worth $8 million.
Meanwhile, the Warriors have three first-round picks and a developing star in Jonathan Kuminga that they can package together to help the Dubs compete for a championship while also assisting the Lakers in a competitive rebuild centred around Davis.
Warriors Have Displayed Willingness to Make Trades for Blockbuster Players.
Golden State has been active in free agency this summer after losing Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks, and the team continues to chase Utah Jazz 7-footer and former All-Star Lauri Markkanen.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on July 15 that the Warriors and Jazz were in talks about Moses Moody, first-round picks, second-round picks, and first-round pick swaps. Utah responded with a similar package of draft assets, including Moody, but also requested Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski.
Charania noted that Golden State considered that proposition a “non-starter.” As a result, something in the middle appears to be the most likely outcome if a deal is reached—most likely an agreement centred on the aforementioned draft assets as well as either Kuminga or Podziemski, but not both, with Moody maybe included in the return.
Following Charania’s claim, some NBA sources, including Kevin Pelton of ESPN, have suggested that the Warriors are more interested in dealing Kuminga than Podziemski.
“[It] seems a little more likely to me [the Warriors would move Kuminga] than Podziemski, just in terms of how the Warriors would value him relative to how Utah would value him,” Pelton said while appearing on “The Lowe Post” podcast on Sunday, July 15. “The long-term financial repercussions of this trade should also be considered. If [Markkanen] receives that massive raise and Kuminga stays instead of Podziemski, he will also earn a huge boost off his rookie deal.”
Anthony Davis and Jonathan Kuminga would provide the Lakers with a quality duo to build for the future.
In terms of contract years, James offers a lower financial commitment for the Warriors while remaining undoubtedly a superior player than Markkanen. The Lakers are also more likely to be acceptable trade partners than the Jazz, who are planning to go all-in over the next several seasons to capitalize on the talent in the next two draft classes.
Kuminga represents a huge future income for L.A., since he is eligible for a $224 million deal after finishing his rookie contract. However, he can provide Los Angeles with two-way talent and outstanding athleticism as he enters his age-22 season.
If the Lakers add Kuminga to the lineup, they will need to focus on shooting at the other three starting positions because neither he nor Davis are high-level 3-point shooters. However, both provide strong defensive play at their respective spots as well as excellent scoring potential.
Last season, Kuminga averaged a career-high 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.7 steals. He did that in only 26.3 minutes of court time every night. His shift to full-time starter, combined with increased playing time and sustained improvement, bodes well for another career year in 2024-25, and possibly more in the future.
Last season, Davis averaged 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals, earning Second-Team All-NBA and First-Team All-Defense honours.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry have excelled together on Team USA.
A trade for several first-round selections and swaps, as well as Kuminga, in return for James makes sense not only for Los Angeles’ future-focused roster development, but also for the Warriors’ win-now needs.
While Markkanen is 27 years younger than James, he has only one All-Star appearance and two highly productive seasons on his resume, all with the Jazz in the last two years. James, meanwhile, is a perennial All-Star who will start with Stephen Curry when Team USA opens the Olympics in late July.
In recent years, the two have formed a strong bond and are playing at a high level together worldwide as they prepare to compete for gold in Paris.
“I like those guys together,” Warriors/Team USA head coach Steve Kerr stated on July 19, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN. “Steph and LeBron are kind of learning how to play together, and they’re getting a better feel for each other.”
James has also recently stated that Curry is the one NBA great he would prefer to play alongside over everyone else.
“Steph Curry is the one I want to play with for sure,” James stated during a 2022 episode of “The Shop,” an HBO show he produces. “I love everything about that guy.”
Leave a Reply