The San Antonio Spurs would hit the ultimate home run if they were somehow able to pull off FOX Sports’ trade proposal that’d land LeBron James for two players who don’t fit into the franchise’s future and one first-round draft pick.
Those players? Devin Vassel and Harrison Barnes.
Shake Milton’s contract would be guaranteed and sent to San Antonio in this proposed scenario.
“San Antonio could offer Los Angeles Vassell, Harrison Barnes and its 2028 first-rounder for James and Milton, giving the Lakers two immediate rotation players, if not at least one starter. Plus, in this trade, the Spurs wouldn’t surrender a haul for a one-to-two-year rental in James while still having a plethora of first-rounders at their disposal,” FOX Sports’ piece read.
“The 40-year-old James’ arrival in San Antonio would be similar to Tom Brady’s 2020 arrival in Tampa Bay at 42 years old, as the now-FOX Sports NFL Analyst instantly provided both veteran and star power to a talented Buccaneers team that needed a boost. Of course, Brady didn’t provide a mere boost, rather, a shove, helping Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV in his first season with the franchise. Plus, James can be around legendary head coach Gregg Popovich, who became the franchise’s full-time President of Basketball Operations in May with interim Mitch Johnson becoming the full-time coach.
“If the Spurs get to the precipice of the NBA Finals, maybe James would stick around for another year?”
James going to the Spurs for this price is highway robbery.
While San Antonio probably wouldn’t vault into contention or immediately compete with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a seven-game series, the Spurs would have the potential for one of the greatest pick-and-pop duos of all time with James and Victor Wembanyama.
Forget about what the backcourt duo of Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle could become next to James. The former Rutgers Scarlet Knight and UConn Husky, respectively, would be the minimum price the Spurs would’ve had to pay in almost any other point in James’ career in a hypothetical scenario.
Jeremy Sochan feels like a necessity in this potentially real-life scenario, with Keldon Johnson potentially also having a place in negotiations.
Unless LeBron has a short list of preferred destinations, and San Antonio is on it. Then this deal could become real in a heartbeat.
The first list of potential James suitors didn’t include the Spurs, for what it’s worth.
We’ll see if things change. James reportedly wants to stay in L.A. for the rest of his career, but things move quickly in #thisleague.
