Warriors made LeBron James trade bid at deadline, and they weren’t the only team Lakers shot down, per report

Both the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers stood pat at last week’s trade deadline, but according to a report published Wednesday morning, there was an inquiry made on a deal that would’ve rocked the league to its roots. 

You ready for this? The Warriors, per ESPN, made a real run at acquiring Lakers superstar LeBron James, who ultimately expressed his desire to remain in L.A. at least for now. 

It started with a call from Warriors owner Joe Lacob to Lakers owner Jeannie Buss, who wasn’t interested in a deal unless LeBron wanted out. This was starting to feel like a possibility given his social-media vibe (he tweeted an hour glass, presumably painting a portrait of impatience as the Lakers’ time to make a big move running out) leading up to the deadline, and the fact that James has been mum about his potential free agency this summer. 

Buss referred the Warriors to LeBron’s agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who also represents Draymond Green. Green, as it turns out, was the one who encouraged Lacob to make a run at James in the first place. Green even sent his own text to Paul trying to convince the agent to sell his client and friend on the idea of joining forces with Stephen Curry and the Warriors. From ESPN:

If the Lakers ever wanted a temperature check on James’ commitment, here was his chance to tell them. In the end, that answer for the Warriors and Lakers returned resoundingly on the eve of the trade deadline: Rich Paul told Lacob and Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr., that James had no interest in a trade and wanted to remain a Laker, sources said. When Dunleavy Jr., reached out to Lakers GM Rob Pelinka in those pre-trade deadline hours, Dunleavy Jr., had been told the same: the Lakers wanted to keep James, sources said.

Even at this stage of their careers, LeBron and Curry teaming up would’ve broken the internet. Neither is quite the player they once were, but both are still legitimate superstars and would be perfect basketball companions given their respective skillsets. 

Who would the Warriors have had to trade to get James? They could’ve potentially done it with two future first-round picks, Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins combining for the salary (let’s say the Lakers include Christian Wood, just for argument’s sake). Or they could’ve built something around Klay Thompson. The Lakers most certainly would’ve asked for Jonathan Kuminga. 

It’s all neither here nor there. No deal was made. But the Warriors, as it turns out, weren’t the only team to reach out to L.A. about the possibility of acquiring James. Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey did so as well. 

More from the ESPN report:

Dunleavy Jr. was the second team executive call to Pelinka on a possible James trade, sources said. After seeing James’ murky social media post of an hour-glass a week before the trade deadline, Philadelphia 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey called Pelinka to probe on a James trade and was immediately told that James wasn’t available. In fact, Pelinka responded by asking Morey if Joel Embiid was available, sources said. And that ended that brief conversation. 

These sorts of bold trade calls are historically a common practice for Morey, who also called the Phoenix Suns and asked about a trade for Durant prior to the deadline, sources said. When told no on Durant, Morey then asked about the availability of Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, too. Unsurprisingly, those were no’s as well, sources said.

Leave it to Morey to swing for the fences. He didn’t completely strike out as the Sixers were able to trade for Buddy Hield, and who knows, maybe the Sixers, who can create a ton of cap space, can make a real run at LeBron this summer if he turns down his player option with the Lakers. 

Surely this won’t be the last time we speculate on that possibility. But for now, despite the efforts of two heavyweight franchises to lure him, LeBron James remains with the Lakers.