A Feel-Good 3-Team Sign-and-Trade Idea Where Lakers and LeBron Both Win
The Los Angeles Lakers have already agreed to a deal with Austin Reaves, but where's the respect for the NBA's all-time leading scorer, LeBron James?
The reality is that the Lakers are exploring a post-James future, trying to find players who better fit around All-Star Luka Dončić in the long term. James, who is also the oldest player in the NBA, can't and shouldn't be the team's priority.
Instead, sending him back home to the Cleveland Cavaliers to finish his career, while landing a center like Jarrett Allen and a replacement forward with All-Star potential from the New Orleans Pelicans could be a viable, albeit expensive, compromise.
Full Trade Details
1 of 4
Cavaliers receive:
- LeBron James (from Lakers)
- Bronny James (from Lakers)
- Deandre Ayton (from Lakers)
- $14.8 million trade exception (Dennis Schröder)
- $9.5 million trade exception (Jarrett Allen)
- $6.6 million trade exception (Dean Wade)
Lakers receive:
- Trey Murphy III (from Pelicans)
- Micah Peavy (from Pelicans)
- Jarrett Allen (from Cavaliers)
- Dean Wade (from Cavaliers)
- $6 million trade exception (Jake LaRavia)
Pelicans receive:
- Dennis Schröder (from Cavaliers)
- Jarred Vanderbilt (from Lakers)
- Jake LaRavia (from Lakers)
- Dalton Knecht (from Lakers)
- 2030 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)
- 2031 unprotected first-round pick (from Lakers)
- 2033 unprotected first-round pick (from Lakers)
- $6.2 million trade exception (Trey Murphy III)
- $2.2 million trade exception (Micah Peavy)
Why the Cleveland Cavaliers Do It
2 of 4
The Cavaliers were the second-best team in the East last year, falling to the champion New York Knicks in the conference finals. To get that far, the franchise invested heavily as the only team above the NBA's dreaded second apron.
It can continue above that line, but it will lead to long-term consequences, including multiple frozen draft picks and massive taxes. Pivoting in some form is inevitable, but not in a drastic fashion that scares off Donovan Mitchell and the team's hopes that he'll extend long-term.
Reuniting with the hometown hero again—bringing in his son—while also dropping below the NBA's first apron projected at $209.1 million is a win. James, even at his age, bolsters the team's postseason chances.
The primary sacrifice is Allen, but Ayton can fill those shoes starting next to Mobley or off the bench, with Mobley moving to his more natural position. The Cavaliers can make the trade work by sending Sam Merrill or Schröder to the Pelicans. Here, Schröder makes way so the Cavaliers can retain Keon Ellis at about a $6 million starting salary.
The trade also assumes James Harden opts out and re-signs on a multi-year deal starting at $35 million (a lower figure gives Cleveland more flexibility). The deal wouldn't execute until July 6, with the Cavaliers triggering a first-apron hard cap at a projected $209.1 million by acquiring James via sign-and-trade.
James' salary would need to start with a significant pay cut, unless the Cavaliers make additional sacrifices, to $18.5 million in this scenario. He and the franchise may agree that he'll play two full years but receive all $58.3 million over three years, bumping the annual rate to $29.2 million for the seasons he actually performs.
Finally, Cleveland takes in James in exchange for Allen, leaving a $9.5 million traded-player exception. The team uses prior trade exceptions involving Lonzo Ball and De'Andre Hunter to acquire Ayton and Bronny James. The team only gets credit for $6.6 million of Wade's outgoing salary via sign-and-trade to the Lakers.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers Do It
3 of 4
The Lakers are scouring the free-agent and trade markets for a starting center. Ayton filled the role relatively well, but he's not in the team's long-term plans. Allen would be their upgrade, while accepting that now is the time to move on from James and build properly around Dončić.
From the Pelicans, the Lakers add Murphy, a talented scoring forward on a team-friendly contract at $87 million over three seasons. Buzz in NBA circles has the New Orleans asking price for Murphy at three first-round picks. The Lakers give two outright, plus the swap in 2030.
It's a big ask, but the Lakers must give Dončić a motive to continue his career long-term in Los Angeles; sacrificing future assets for the best possible win-now team costs James but brings in key players like Allen, Murphy, and Wade.
Instead of going under the salary cap as initially projected, the Lakers chose to stay over, allowing the franchise to bring in four players while retaining most of its own free agents. Wade, a noted defender, signs a three-year, $38.6 million sign-and-trade via Cleveland, starting at $12.3 million.
The Lakers can then retain Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart (assuming he opts out of his $5.4 million option), and Jaxson Hayes with a $33.3 million budget for all four. Los Angeles fields a starting lineup of Dončić, Reaves, Murphy, Hachimura, and Allen, with Smart, Kennard, Wade, and Hayes off the bench, rounded out by Adou Thiero, first-round pick Cameron Carr, Peavy, plus two players on minimum vet minimum contracts.
The Lakers trigger a first-apron hard cap, taking in Allen for James, Wade, and Peavy for Ayton, and Murphy via aggregation of Vanderbilt, Knecht, and Bronny James. The trade assumes Ayton opts in to join the Cavaliers.
Why the New Orleans Pelicans Do It
4 of 4
The intel from competing executives and player agents indicates the Pelicans are currently focused on building around Zion Williamson, Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears. New leadership under Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver is willing to move on from legacy players.
The asking price, however, is believed to be sky-high with three firsts for Murphy, two for Herb Jones, and at least one for Yves Missi. The Lakers only have two picks to offer outright, plus a swap—and that may be as rich an offer as the Pelicans get over the coming week.
The returning players aren't as significant and could be repackaged as the roster continues to turn over. Schröder's journey to play for every NBA team takes him to New Orleans. Only Vanderbilt has guaranteed salary beyond 2026-27. The Pelicans can opt to keep Knecht, a young shooter, on his $6.5 million contract for 2027-28 before November. LaRavia, 24, is a solid defender who needs to rebuild his confidence on offense.
The Pelicans can remove Peavy from the deal, which is primarily to keep the squad at 15 standard contracts. New Orleans avoids the NBA's luxury tax, adds multiple firsts and still has the flexibility to continue retooling.
The franchise will also have a first-apron hard cap, using the preexisting Jose Alvarado and Kelly Olynyk trade exceptions on Knecht and Vanderbilt, but that won't be significant for a team below the luxury-tax line.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X @EricPincus and Bluesky.
