In the midst of the turmoil in the NBA trade market, the Warriors' name is once again closely associated with one heavyweight player – LeBron James. According to a joint report by ESPN's authoritative reporters Woj and Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors tried to strike a league-shaking deal with the Lakers before the trade deadline, targeting James.
While that attempt didn't work out, it doesn't stop us from imagining how it would shake the league if such a trade materialized in the offseason.
According to the report, the Warriors' Dream Chaser-Green played a key role in it, not only "egging" Warriors owner Lacob to get in touch with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, but also using his agent network to send a message to James' close friend Rich Paul, hoping to facilitate the deal of the century. Such a move is a good demonstration of the Warriors' desire and determination to strengthen the roster and chase the championship.
At a time of speculation and heated discussions, the American media "fadeawayworld" was not willing to be lonely, and proposed an imaginative 5-for-2 trade plan for the Warriors in advance. The specific scheme is as follows:
The Warriors sent Wiggins, Paul, Kuminga and 2026 and 2028 first-round picks to get James and Vincent from the Lakers.
Such a deal was proposed, and it sparked a lot of discussion and attention, after all, it was an epic potential deal.
From the Warriors' perspective, the deal is a huge gamble, but it could also pay off handsomely. The addition of James will allow the Warriors to have an ultra-luxurious roster of Curry, Dream, Klay and James, and the strength of such a combination on paper is enough to make any opponent fearful. James' commercial value and influence will also further enhance the global attention of the Warriors, which will help the team's commercial expansion and market value.
However, at the same time as getting James, the Warriors also had to give up some important chips. Wiggins and Paul are both quality players, and their departure will undoubtedly have an impact on the Warriors' depth and rotation. And as a rising star, Kuminga's potential and future value cannot be ignored. In addition, the two first-round picks would also mean that the Warriors would lose some flexibility and options in the draft market for years to come.
For the Lakers, the deal is equally profound. Getting Kuminga and two first-round picks is an important investment in the team's future. As a young and promising player, Kuminga is expected to get more opportunities to grow and play in the Lakers. And the two first-round picks also provide the Lakers with more options and possibilities in the future draft market.
At the same time, the Lakers also got two instant players, Wiggins and Paul. Wiggins is an all-around forward whose defensive and offensive abilities will help the Lakers. And Paul has no guaranteed contract, but his experience and leadership skills will be a valuable asset to the Lakers' young players. In addition, Paul's contract status also gives the Lakers more flexibility in their future operations.
After completing this deal, the Lakers can further build a more competitive roster around the thick eyebrows, and can use their first-round picks, Reaves, Hachimura and other players as bargaining chips to pursue stars such as Mitchell, Trae Young or Irving, so as to improve the team's overall strength and competitiveness.
Overall, while this deal is fraught with risks and challenges, it also contains great opportunities and possibilities. For the Warriors, this is a huge gamble of "fame and fortune", and for the Lakers, this is an important plan for the future.
Regardless of the final outcome, we'll be keeping an eye on this epic trade that could change the landscape of the league, and let's look forward to what is to come in the offseason.