“$101 Million Question: Should Warriors Really Trade for Lakers’ Veteran Star?
Gary Payton II, Golden State Warriors
Warriors urged to trade superstar to Lakers for $101 million four-time NBA champion forward originally appeared on The Sporting News
While it’s too early to conclude that the Golden State Warriors hit the jackpot by acquiring a 6-foot-7 former Miami Heat superstar in February, the organization undoubtedly has a pulse with him in the fold.
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The Dubs reached the postseason last season under the six-time All-Star’s leadership, advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals for the second time in three seasons.
However, Blue Man Hoop’s Peter O’Keefe believes that the organization would be better off swapping Jimmy Butler for a Los Angeles Lakers four-time NBA champion forward.
“If the Warriors want to acquire (Giannis) Antetokounmpo as has been long dreamt, then Butler is going to be the easiest path to matching salaries before you get into the abundance of young players and picks they’d also have to give up,” O’Keefe wrote Saturday.
“Then you have another superstar who Golden State have been linked to for over 18 months – LeBron James. The four-time MVP’s future at the Los Angeles Lakers has also been a significant source of speculation this offseason, with the Warriors again mentioned as a team with some level of interest.”
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“Again, reaching James’ $52.6 million salary would be best achieved by using Butler’s contract. The teams would then have to haggle over picks, but James’ no-trade clause does give the acquiring team some sort of leverage in that scenario.”
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James only has a few years remaining in the NBA, but there’s no doubt that the 21-time All-Star will perform at a high level until the very end.
Although James was electric all year long, he was at his best in February, the same month Luka Doncic arrived in Los Angeles.
The 6-foot-9 offensive juggernaut averaged 29.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per contest, shooting 55.5% from the field and 44.3% from three-point land.
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Unsurprisingly, the Lakers finished the month with an exceptional 10-2 record.
For the year, James contributed 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds nightly, connecting on 51.3% of his field goals and 37.6% from downtown on a Los Angeles squad that failed to reach the second round of the playoffs.
Even if James joins the Warriors and doesn’t win a championship, it would be worthwhile for the 40-year-old to compete alongside Curry and put on a show for the Dubs’ fanbase for at least one season.
At the very least, James will continue to get linked to the Warriors heading into the upcoming campaign.
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