RealGM

Story per RealGM that Warriors tried to trade for LeBron. GSW don't really have any FRPs available.

James $47.6, $51.4 PO

Filler:

Paul $30.5, $30.0 UNG
Wiggins $24.3, $26.3, $28.2, $30.2 PO
Thompson $43.2

Young players

Kuminga $6.0, $7.6 TO
Podziemski $3.4, $3.5, $3.7 TO, $5.8 TO
Jackson-Davis $1.1, $1.9, $2.2, $2.4 TO
Moody $3.9, $5.8 TO

I believe some combination of those young players could do it with LeBron only committed for the remainder of this season. Paul and/or Thompson provide huge expirings.

Wiggins sure makes it ugly quick... the lakers are THE free agent destination so long ugly contracts like him and Lavine gum up that machine too much

Klay+youth

Klay has wanted to play for the Lakers, his team growing up and the team his father played for.

I have to admit that would have been fun

Chris Paul, Andrew Wiggins, and all of Golden State's First Round Draft Picks + Swaps

Wiggins + pick or a young player to a 3rd team offering expirings, let's say Bertans post Hornets trade

LeBron to Warriors

Kuminga, Podz, picks, player from 3rd team to LAL

Steph/Klay/LeBron/Draymond/Looney
CP3/Payton/Gui/Saric/TJD

Russell/Reaves/Rui/Kuminga/AD
Dinwiddie/Podz/Moody/Bertans/Wood
+ plus 2-3 1sts

Lakers obv don't make the playoffs but have tons of cap in 2025 to make their new splash around AD... possibly even 2024 if Russell opts out and you can find a Rui trade.

Warriors let Klay and CP3 walk or come back on much much much smaller contracts.

I think Wiggins would've had to be included because the tax just makes that new team completely unsustainable even for GSW

IMO it would have needed to be pretty big, which makes it extremely difficult. Something like LeBron/Vincent/Prince/Wood/Hayes/Reddish for CP3/GP2/Looney/Kuminga/Moody/Podz

Klay, Podz, and Kuminga for LBJ and Prince [+one low salary like Maxwell Lewis] worked if it wasn't a large roster flip


Pretty crazy Warriors tried, I respect the effort.

Lebron is traded only if he wants to leave and he would want as little compensation going the other way. Chris Paul and Wiggins.

Warriorfan wrote:Lebron is traded only if he wants to leave and he would want as little compensation going the other way. Chris Paul and Wiggins.

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle here. Bron isn't going to want to gut the team he's being traded to, but there's no real reason for him to care about GS giving up picks that won't convey until after he retires.

gswhoops wrote:

Warriorfan wrote:Lebron is traded only if he wants to leave and he would want as little compensation going the other way. Chris Paul and Wiggins.

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle here. Bron isn't going to want to gut the team he's being traded to, but there's no real reason for him to care about GS giving up picks that won't convey until after he retires.

Future picks can be sweetener for future roster additions for Lebrons short window.

I honestly don’t think the Warriors would have wanted to touch their core (Curry, Klay, Dray, Podz, and Kuminga). CP3 as the main salary ballast makes sense. I’d assume Moody and GP2 as the salary filler. And then add in the necessary picks and swaps.

I doubt any substantial offer was made. If Warriors were actually serious about making a move, they would have called earlier than 24 hrs before the deadline. More like Warriors wanted to feel for the whole Lebron situation. And, it's interesting that Lakers asked Warriors to contact Klutch. They might also want to see how they react to the recent Lebron trade rumor.

Warriorfan wrote:

gswhoops wrote:

Warriorfan wrote:Lebron is traded only if he wants to leave and he would want as little compensation going the other way. Chris Paul and Wiggins.

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle here. Bron isn't going to want to gut the team he's being traded to, but there's no real reason for him to care about GS giving up picks that won't convey until after he retires.

Future picks can be sweetener for future roster additions for Lebrons short window.

I agree though, the offer would have been for Klay + Moody + Trayce Jackson-Davis and maybe a pick or 2. The offer would not have been blowing the Lakers socks off, as LBj would be forcing it.

Nothing. It was never going to happen. I can't even imagine what a plausible package would be.

Lacob only made the call because they thought they could get LeBron for the cheap. And what I mean by that is that it wouldn't be a godfather offer.

They wouldn't give away their youth to get James or all their picks. It certainly would have involved Wiggins and/or CP3's salary. A youngster or two, not including Kuminga, and picks.

CP3, GP2, Moody, '25 swap, '26 FRP, '27 swap, '28 FRP '29 swap. Not enough to entice LAL. There isn't going to be a FA out there this off-season to try to replace LeBron with and they wouldn't have had the cap space to chase two max players. LAL would have had to envision a way to clear enough space to add two of Harden, OG, Siakam and Claxton to Davis to even think about it.

Wiggins + Kuminga + Podz is my guess. Enough coming back to LA that they can actually put together an interesting team around AD.

AD
Kuminga
Wiggins
Podz
Russell

There have been worse starting fives. Golden State would have been interesting but not had a ton of depth:

Looney/Draymond/TJD
Draymond/LeBron
LeBron/Klay
Moody
Curry

Not sure 100% legal, but something like this in offseason as James forces his way to San Francisco…

To Bulls: Wiggins + Paul (buyout to ring chase)

To Lakers: LaVine + GSW 1st

To Warriors: James (S&T) + DDR (S&T)

Looney | Green
Green | James
James | DDR
Klay (ceremonial starter) | DDR
Curry

Close most games: Curry | Klay | DDR | James | Green