The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten better this summer, but their relationship with their star forward, LeBron James, isn’t as stable as it should be.
If the Lakers decide to trade James this summer, Fox Sports believes the franchise could receive a former Golden State Warriors NBA champion forward in return.
“San Antonio's (Spurs) rotation is a combination of players who are entering their prime or just getting started and can both score off the dribble and shoot with efficiency,” the respected media outlet wrote last Friday.
“What it doesn't have is a veteran star complement, which is where James comes into the equation.”
“The Spurs wouldn't be asking James to play hero ball or possibly even be their No. 2 scorer. He can be an attacking scorer who plays off the ball more and provides (Victor) Wembanyama and (De'Aaron) Fox with a priceless mentor.”
“San Antonio could offer Los Angeles Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and its 2028 first-rounder for James and (Shake) Milton, giving the Lakers two immediate rotation players, if not at least one starter.”
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Barnes was an underrated contributor on the Warriors’ 2015 championship squad.
The North Carolina product averaged 10.6 points on 44.0% field goal shooting and 35.5% three-point shooting in 21 postseason contests. More importantly, Barnes took on the challenge of defending James, who was well within his prime, on the perimeter and in the low post from time to time.
Granted, James averaged 35.8 points per game against the Dubs during that finals series, but Barnes had much to do with the 21-time All-Star’s subpar shooting splits (39.8% from the field and 31.0% from deep).
Unfortunately, Golden State’s commitment to prying Kevin Durant away from the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2016 offseason made Barnes the odd man out in the organization’s rotation.
The former first-round pick signed a four-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ending his successful four-year stint with the Dubs.
While Barnes hasn’t sniffed a title since departing from the Bay, he enjoyed a career year from an efficiency perspective with the Spurs last season.
The 33-year-old contributed 12.3 points on 50.8% shooting from the field and 43.3% shooting from beyond the arc in 82 regular-season outings.
Considering Barnes’ defensive presence is still apparent, the former McDonald’s All-American would be a highly productive veteran 3-and-D wing for Los Angeles.
However, with Los Angeles deciding to waive Milton last week, it would be impossible for the franchise to complete Fox Sports' captivating trade pitch this summer.
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