Proposed LeBron trade gives Lakers better-fitting Big Three with KD, Luka, and ex-OU Sooners basketball star

While he thought the chances of such a swap were admitted to be far-fetched, CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn addressed the possibility of the Lakers trading LeBron James to the Suns for Kevin Durant this offseason now that Los Angeles is eliminated from the NBA postseason.

And Quinn believes it’d make sense for both sides, particularly for the Lakers. Durant, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves would form a better-fitting group. As Quinn notes, so would James with Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Co.

“A billion reasons (a LeBron-for-KD swap) would never happen but I kinda think it makes basketball sense for both sides. The Suns are over-indexed on shot-making and the Lakers are over-indexed on shot-creation so flipping them sort of balances both offenses,” Quinn tweeted.

In his extended Lakers offseason preview, Quinn spoke of James as untouchable along with Reaves and Doncic.

“Barring a few unlikely scenarios we will address below, we can safely assume that Dončić, James and Reaves are untouchable,” Quinn wrote.

Giannis Antetokounmpo floated as potential Lakers trade target

Quinn believes the Lakers will look elsewhere on the trade market, suggesting GM Rob Pelinka call up the Bucks and offer the kitchen sink besides LeBron, Luka, and Reaves for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“The first call the Lakers make should go to the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Offer everything but Dončić and James. Reaves, picks, other players, whatever. They'll say no, but hey, you have to make the call. These are the Lakers, after all, and as they learned with Dončić, they tend to be pretty lucky in these endeavors,” Quinn wrote.

If anything, the ex-Oklahoma star Reaves would be the guy likely to draw any reasonably big name to Los Angeles on the trade market.