Lakers GM might backstab LeBron James via trade to Bucks for younger superstar

Could Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka pull off another unthinkable move this summer?

Pelinka shocked the sports world when he fleeced Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Dončić back in February.

Now, Pelinka might be monitoring another massive opportunity following the tragic news that Milwaukee Bucks superstar Damian Lillard has torn his Achilles.

Dame's injury means the Bucks' window has officially closed (if it hadn't already). As such, Giannis Antetokounmpo has every reason to request a trade this summer with the goal of landing in a big market like Los Angeles or New York.

With the Lakers on the verge of a disappointing first-round exit, everyone assumes Los Angeles will run it back in 2025-26 with an improved roster around Dončić and LeBron James.

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But what if Pelinka decided to ditch that blueprint and go for something far bolder, and probably more effective?

Pelinka could decide to ignore any loyalty to LeBron and trade the 40-year-old star to the Bucks for Giannis, thereby creating a Luka-Giannis pairing that would be more potent than the current Luka-LeBron duo.

The roadblock here is that James has a no-trade clause built into his current deal. LeBron has a $52.6 million player option to decide on this summer, and if he opted in, Pelinka could be prevented from sending LeBron to Milwaukee for Giannis and Antetokounmpo's remaining two years and $121.2 million (involving a third team to balance out the money if necessary).

If LeBron decided to sign a new deal, however, Pelinka could still make this trade happen in the middle of the 2025-26 season, provided James's new deal does not feature a no-trade clause.

Milwaukee fans might be disgusted at the idea of giving up a 30-year-old Giannis for a 40-year-old LeBron, but if Antetokounmpo requests a trade, the Bucks won't have a ton of leverage.

For what it's worth, acquiring James for the last season or two of his career would be a smart marketing move for the Bucks that would keep the franchise pseudo-relevant as they enter a rebuild.

Milwaukee is going nowhere fast, and it should start thinking of creative ways to re-work the franchise in the next few years while looking ahead to a brighter decade in the 2030s.

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