LeBron James just turned 41 a few days ago, meaning his time in the NBA is nearing its end. The hope was that his pairing with young superstar Luka Doncic could turn the Los Angeles Lakers into a serious title contender in 2026. However, that simply hasn’t been the case.
After a fast start, LA has slipped down the NBA standings in recent weeks due to a defense that is giving up 117.4 points per game (18th) and has the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league. Furthermore, with the two superstars 15 years apart in age, they are on very different championship timelines.
It feels like a trade would be the best way to address the Lakers’ problems in the short and long-term, and send the NBA legend to a team where he would be a better fit for his second-to-last season. With that in mind, let’s look at four teams that could be LeBron James trade landing spots before next month’s deadline.
- LeBron James stats: 33.1 MPG, 20.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 6.5 APG
Miami Heat
There has been a lot of talk about James potentially heading back to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third and final run. But why not a return to his other former team, the Miami Heat? A starting five featuring Bam Adebayo, Norman Powell, Tyler Herro, and James could be a problem in the East. To make a deal work, Miami would need to include Terry Rozier’s contract, along with Andrew Wiggins.
Wiggins would give LA an athletic wing who can guard multiple positions and address some key defensive deficiencies in the backcourt.
Golden State Warriors
There have been rumblings about Steph Curry and LeBron James’ desire to play together for years. And the Golden State Warriors reportedly attempted a trade for the 21-time All-Star a couple of years ago. A deal that swapped James for Jimmy Butler — since he has not worked as well as hoped in San Francisco — would make sense financially, and give LA the sort of defense and grit they badly lack right now.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Any speculation about a LeBron James trade is going to include the Cavaliers. Especially now with Cleveland struggling their way to a 20-16 start to the season. Making it all work financially won’t be easy, but the Cavs have some big contracts they can include to make it possible.
James arriving in the second half to try and help the Cavaliers get back to the NBA Finals in a weak Eastern Conference would be a huge story in the spring.
Dallas Mavericks
There aren’t many teams James would waive is no-trade clause to go to. But the Dallas Mavericks and the chance to play with Kyrie Irving might be one of them. What would make a deal with Dallas interesting is that it would mean bringing back Anthony Davis.
LA didn’t necessarily want to trade him, but it was what they needed to do to get Doncic. The organization knows him well, and he would be a huge help to improve their defensive issues, which pretty much began after the trade. Is it a likely move? No, but would be worth considering for both teams.
