Lakers trade idea sends LeBron James to surging Western Conference contender

LeBron James has yet to suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers this season due to sciatica on his right side.

Still, the Lakers found a way to win two of their first three regular-season games and prove that they have a talented enough roster to survive without James temporarily.

While James is expected to return in November, is it a given that the four-time NBA champion will finish the 2025-26 season with the Lakers?

Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz doesn’t think so, which is why the bold NBA writer predicted that Los Angeles would trade James to a surging Western Conference contender before the deadline.

“Are we sure Victor Wembanyama isn't a top-2 player in the NBA right now,” Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz wrote last Thursday. “The 21-year-old certainly made his case after dropping 40 points and 15 rebounds in 30 minutes in the San Antonio Spurs' season opener.”

“Wembanyama is ready to win now, and the Spurs should be doing everything in their power to help him do so. This includes sniffing around a LeBron James trade, a player who's long had a great relationship with Gregg Popovich.”

“There's no shortage of advantages when it comes to pairing James and Wembanyama, whether it be on-court production, practice habits, strength training, or learning the opponent's every move.”

“A core of Wembanyama, James, De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and others could make a deep playoff run this year.”

The Spurs are off to a surprising start to the year. Fox, like James, isn’t active in the early going with an injury of his own. Still, San Antonio, led by Wembanyama, is firing on all cylinders in early October. 

The franchise has defeated the Dallas Mavericks, New Orleans Pelicans, and Brooklyn Nets en route to a perfect 3-0 record. 

In addition to Wembanyama’s two-way dominance as a third-year player (he’s averaging 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 6.0 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game), Devin Vassell, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper have chipped in to help the Spurs put the NBA on notice.

If James isn’t satisfied with the Lakers' trajectory midway through the year, the 21-time All-Star could join the up-and-coming Spurs and shake up the Western Conference landscape. 

Adding James would not only make the Spurs a definite playoff team but also give them the ammunition necessary to make things interesting in the postseason.

Swartz’s intriguing idea should be revisited down the line.

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