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LeBron’s replacement revealed: Lakers secretly plan to bring the 9-time All-Star superstar to Luka.

By skynews • August 22, 2025 • 3 min read

Lakers predicted to trade LeBron, Bronny, more, for 9x All-Star to pair with Luka originally appeared on The Sporting News

The Los Angeles Lakers may be hunting for another star to pair with Luka Doncic. LeBron James is still great, but is declining. Luka needs a player more on his age timeline to maximize the Lakers’ chances to win championships over the next decade. Lakers trade rumors seem to say that a LeBron trade won’t happen this season, but if a trade like this one becomes available, the Lakers won’t have any other options.

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report proposed one Lakers-LeBron trade that would land them the best possible star to lead the next decade of Lakers basketball alongside Luka. That player is Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The proposed Lakers-Giannis trade is a bit complicated, but it looks like this.

“Mavericks get: LeBron James (from Lakers)

Bronny James (from Lakers)

Andre Jackson Jr. (from Bucks)

Tyler Smith (from Bucks)

Drew Timme (from Nets)

Lakers get: Giannis Antetokounmpo (from Bucks)

Olivier-Maxence Prosper (from Mavericks)

Tyrese Martin (from Nets)

$4 million trade exception (Dalton Knecht)

$2 million trade exception (Bronny James)

Bucks get:RJ Barrett (from Raptors)

PJ Washington (from Mavericks)

Caleb Martin (from Mavericks)

Naji Marshall (from Mavericks)

$2 million trade exception (Tyler Smith)

2026 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)

2026 Lakers second-rounder (via Raptors)

2028 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)

2030 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)

2031 first-rounder (from Lakers)

2032 first-round swap rights (from Lakers)

Raptors get: Daniel Gafford (from Mavericks)

$13.3 million trade exception (RJ Barrett)

Nets get: Dalton Knecht (from Lakers)

Jaden Hardy (from Mavericks)

Dwight Powell (from Mavericks)

Notes: James, who has a no-trade clause, allows the trade to Dallas and waives his trade bonus to keep the team under its second-apron hard cap ($207.8 million). The Lakers use the expanded trade exception from James to take in Antetokounmpo and Prosper, while staying under their first-apron hard cap ($195.7 million).”

While this Lakers-Giannis trade is extremely complicated, it would be a dream come true for the Lakers.

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It does require trading LeBron, but other than that, they aren’t giving up any important players in the rotation. If the Lakers need to give up every pick and swap they have available to land Giannis, they need to do it.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, this Giannis trade won’t happen. Forget that Giannis hasn’t yet requested to leave Milwaukee. This haul just isn’t enough for the Bucks to get back in a Giannis trade.

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