An On SI writer's trade proposal would send LeBron and Bronny James to the Detroit Pistons, Marcus Sasser to the Atlanta Hawks, and a mixture of draft picks, players, and a pick swap to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Of all the various LeBron James trade scenarios that have been floated this offseason, On SI’s Jackson Caudell had perhaps the most out-of-the-box: a blockbuster three-team scenario that’d send “the King” and Bronny James to the Detroit Pistons, former Houston Cougars basketball star Marcus Sasser to the Atlanta Hawks, and a mixture of picks, a pick swap, and several veterans to the Los Angeles Lakers to team with Luka Doncic.
The Lakers’ haul would be Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, an unprotected 2026 1st round pick swap (via DET), 2026 2nd round pick (from DET, via CHA), an unprotected 2027 1st round pick (via DET), a 2027 2nd round pick (from DET, via MIL), and a 2027 2nd round pick (from DET, via BKN or DAL).
Caudell believes the Pistons would consider this gaudy price, at least from a draft capital perspective, worth paying, even for a 40-year-old James.
“James would fit in nicely next to Cade Cunningham and raise the ceiling of the team. Harris seems unlikely to be brought back after this year and while giving away two first round picks for a 40-year-old LeBron James, those picks are not going to be high draft picks if James does what the team would hope so in a move like this. Getting James and then Jaden Ivey coming back from injury makes the Pistons an intriguing threat in the Eastern Conference,” Caudell wrote.
James would fit nicely next to Cade Cunningham and what’d remain of Detroit’s young core. Would his family feel they are a good fit in Detroit?
James’s no-trade clause would probably shut this possibility down before Rich Paul got too far into his pitch. If even he would want to try and sell LeBron on the Motor City as his career winds down.
Ultimately, the Lakers’ well-publicized uneasy transition from LeBron to Luka will keep these trade rumors going deep into the regular season.
But the end destination will not be Detroit at any point, as Caudell himself acknowledged.
Category: General Sports
