A 3-Team Trade Idea to Pair LeBron, Giannis in Miami and Land Lakers a Center
The Los Angeles Lakers, who are searching for a starting center to partner with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, have yet to reach a deal with future Hall-of-Famer LeBron James.
The franchise may want to honor James' legacy, but doing so must not detract from the Dončić era; the Lakers must properly build around their new, younger superstar.
Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have agreed to a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they face serious depth issues. The Utah Jazz are stuck in negotiations with restricted free agent center Walker Kessler.
Perhaps a multi-team deal pairing two former NBA MVPs in Miami could be a win-win-win for all three franchises.
Full Trade Details
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Heat receive:
- LeBron James (from Lakers)
- Bronny James (from Lakers)
- Bez Mbeng (from Jazz)
- $10.2 million trade exception (Andrew Wiggins)
Lakers receive:
- Andrew Wiggins (from Heat)
- Walker Kessler (from Jazz)
- $6 million trade exception (Jake LaRavia)
Jazz receive:
- Deandre Ayton (from Lakers)
- Jarred Vanderbilt (from Lakers)
- Jake LaRavia (from Lakers)
- Dalton Knecht (from Lakers)
- 2031 first-round pick
- 2033 first-round pick
Why the Miami Heat Do It
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The Heat went all-in to acquire Antetokounmpo, agreeing to send Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, and multiple draft picks to the Milwaukee Bucks. While Miami will take on vet Bobby Portis, the negative of such a massive deal is a depleted roster and a first-apron hard cap at a projected $209.1 million.
Miami has such limited room to flesh out its roster that All-Star Norman Powell may be the casualty. By trading with the Lakers and Jazz, the Heat replace Wiggins with James, freeing up enough spending power to bring Powell back.
Pairing James with Antetokounmpo is like fantasy basketball. The starting lineup would also feature Bam Adebayo, Davion Mitchell, and Powell. The bench, including Pelle Larsson, Nikola Jović, and Dru Smith, needs work.
Both James and Powell would sign deals starting at $20 million. James would get three years and $63 million via a sign-and-trade from the Lakers. While not technically legal, he and the Heat could agree that James would complete two of three seasons and be compensated in full at an adjusted annual rate of $31.5 million.
Powell may want a long deal, or perhaps a short contract with a player option for a second season, with promises from the Heat to re-sign him the following year at a higher dollar. The Heat also takes on James' son, Bronny James, and would have room for second-rounder Ryan Conwell and 1-2 vets on minimum contracts. The team could also try to get Jović in this deal or another to create more space under the apron restriction.
The trade would execute on July 6, after the NBA's annual moratorium. Miami acquires James for Wiggins, Bronny James via the preexisting Haywood Highsmith trade exception, and Mbeng as a minimum non-guaranteed contract. The Heat would need to cut Mbeng if the franchise prefers a second veteran over a prospect.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers Do It
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The Lakers have indicated to other teams that they're looking for a starting center. The franchise had previously tried to acquire Kessler from the Jazz to no avail. He missed most of last season, but is a strong rim protector with legitimate size. Is he worth two first-round picks? That's going to polarize fans, but it's likely the asking price for Utah, which has reached a stalemate with Kessler for now.
Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Utah "put an offer worth roughly $140 million over five years on the table," but called that "a gulf" between the young center and the franchise.
The Lakers match the $140 million price, but paid out over four years. Instead of starting Kessler at $25 million with the Jazz, he jumps to $33.7 million with the Los Angeles Lakers. That's a massive investment, one the Lakers would need to be confident in, but may be the only clear path this offseason to a young center to pair with Dončić.
LA. also adds a dynamic wing with championship experience. Wiggins shoots the ball well, and can either come as a straight trade, opting into his final year at $30.2 million, or he can opt out of his contract and come to the Lakers via sign-and-trade on a three-year deal starting at a lower figure, perhaps at $25 million starting ($78.8 million total).
The Lakers part with most of their current roster, assuming Ayton opts in to play alongside Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen in Utah's frontcourt. L.A. stays over the NBA's salary cap, instead of going under as expected, enabling the franchise to retain Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Luke Kennard, and Jaxson Hayes. However, the total budget for all four would be $38.3 million. Wiggins at $25 million would bring that total to $43.3 million.
The Lakers start Dončić, Reaves, Kessler, Wiggins, and Hachimura, with Smart, Kennard, and Hayes off the bench. The team has two young players to develop in Adou Thiero and first-rounder Cameron Carr, plus four spots for vets on minimum contracts.
Los Angeles has a first-apron hard cap by acquiring Kessler via sign-and-trade. James and his son acquire Wiggins; Kessler by aggregation of Ayton, Vanderbilt, and Knecht.
Why the Utah Jazz Do It
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The Jazz may prefer Kessler, but paying not at the price the Lakers are willing to offer. The alternative is either losing him for nothing to an offer sheet, since he's a restricted free agent, or signing him to his qualifying offer for one year at $7.1 million—but that's the last-resort option, as he can block any trade and his rights don't convey to any trade partner.
If the gulf is too large, Ayton can fill that responsibility on a much cheaper, expiring contract. The Jazz get several players from L.A., including a young shooter (Knecht), a capable defender with inconsistent scoring (LaRavia), and a defensive wing (Vanderbilt).
But none of those players are why the Jazz made the three-way trade; it's all about the pair of unprotected first-round picks from the Lakers.
Utah triggers a first-apron hard cap as well, but doesn't reach the NBA's luxury tax threshold. The Jazz and Heat must make a direct trade, which is why Mbeng is included. If he's more valuable to Utah, he can be substituted for another, possibly Jahmir Young or Myron Gardner, in from the Heat, or a second-round pick from Utah to Miami.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X @EricPincus and Bluesky.
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