Wild trade proposals are created daily, but some stand out more than others.
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Zach Kram predicted that the Los Angeles Lakers would pair LeBron James with a four-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors star in a massive four-team trade.
"The Warriors are almost always in the mix for stars, and after trading for Jimmy Butler III in February, they could take an even bigger swing this summer to maximize the remainder of Stephen Curry's extended prime,” Kram wrote Wednesday.
"If (Giannis) Antetokounmpo requests a trade to Golden State, the Warriors could simply reroute Butler, whose salary is a perfect match. But the Warriors could also build a matching package around (Draymond) Green and a host of young players, so let's get truly wild with a blockbuster four-team proposal.”
"The Warriors would sacrifice depth to construct a star-studded big three of Curry, Antetokounmpo, and Butler. The Lakers would balance their roster by turning (Austin) Reaves into Green -- who has been involved in Lakers rumors in the past -- and (Daniel) Gafford, improving their defense and adding a rim-running center who's a proven fit with Luka Doncic.”
"The (Dallas) Mavericks would trade from a position of strength (center) to add a future first and point guard help during Kyrie Irving's absence. And the (Milwaukee) Bucks would grab an assortment of promising young players and future picks in return for their star.”
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Kram’s wild trade idea sends Antetokounmpo to the Warriors, Green and Gafford to the Lakers, Gabe Vincent, a 2031 first-round pick, and a 2025 second-round pick to the Mavericks, and Reaves, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade), Trayce Jackson-Davis, Maxi Kleber, a 2029 first-round pick, a 2031 first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap to the Bucks.
Green is unquestionably a flawed and aging star, but the Warriors wouldn’t have won four championships between 2014 and 2022 without his irreplaceable contributions.
The defensive enforcer and crafty point forward plays his role for the Dubs without hesitation, allowing him to succeed in the Bay for over a decade.
The Michigan State product averaged 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and one block per game this season, shooting 42.4% from the field and 32.5%.
While acquiring Gafford, a serviceable Mavericks center, would likely excite the Lakers more, the organization can’t go wrong by snagging a proven winner who will provide toughness, leadership, and two-way capabilities in his 30s.
Kram’s shocking trade idea isn’t realistic, but it’s exhilarating to envision as free agency begins to heat up.
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