The Golden State Warriors‘ ultimate dream is to pair Stephen Curry with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, which they tried but failed to do at the February trade deadline.
The longtime rivals proved their games were a match made in heaven when they led Team USA to the gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed a blockbuster trade that could make the Warriors’ dream a reality if James and the Lakers change their minds.
Golden State Warriors receive: LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Kevon Looney, 2026 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick, 2030 first-round pick (1-20)
This proposed Warriors package is as complete as it gets with a former All-Star wing that could help them in the interim and young players plus distant draft picks that could set them up for the future.
“The cost here is exorbitant, especially considering James is entering his age-40 season. Golden State is giving up all of the first-round equity it has left (swaps excluded) along with a potential star in Kuminga. And yet it still seems as if the Lakers would only consider taking back a package like this if James expressly demanded to be traded,” Hughes wrote.
Do the Warriors Still Have Enough Depth if LeBron James Comes?
Hughes said, “The odds of a trade like this actually happening might seem like they’re somewhere in the million-to-one neighborhood,” but if for some reason it would go down, the next big question for the Warriors is, do they have enough depth around James and Curry?
The answer is yes, as they could still have a 10-man group filled with veterans to contend in the Western Conference.
They would still have Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis to join James and Curry in the starting lineup.
The only potential fallout from this proposed trade is the Warriors would be short on big, athletic wings behind James, who is not expected to play the full season given his advanced age.
Steph Curry Hoping for More LeBron James Team-up
The longtime rivals teamed up for the first time in high-stakes games, leading Team USA to a gold medal run in Paris.
Their chemistry was a sight to behold as James repeatedly assisted or screened for a Curry 3-pointer.
“All the battles we’ve had on the court and the back and forth, the fact that we actually got to be teammates, not just in any game like an All-Star game or whatever, but in high stakes basketball with a lot on the line. … I think there’s a deepened respect and friendship there,” Curry said in an interview with People.com on September 3.
Then Curry did not close the door on them potentially playing together again on the floor.
“Hopefully, there will be more experiences in the future, even if we’re teammates or not,” Curry added.
Their Olympic experience in Paris lit up a fire in their bellies as they enter the twilight of their storied NBA careers.
“I think we motivated each other even more to however much longer we have left playing,” Curry said.
