Lakers News: Eastern Conference Power Linked To LeBron James In Massive Trade Proposal

Should the Lakers consider a deal like this?

The Los Angeles Lakers enter a crucial offseason where they are looking for a new head coach, while also trying to build a more competitive roster going forward. The team also has the possibility that star LeBron James could become a free agent, potentially causing more issues.

The likelihood is that James will opt out of the final year of his current contract but many believe he will ultimately stay with the team. However, there is a scenario where he bolts or asks for them to do a sign-and-trade to more of a contender.

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report put together some surprise landing spots for NBA free agents this summer, with one of them involving James. He had James being traded to the New York Knicks for a package of players and some draft picks.

"The Knicks could build a package around Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanović and Miles McBride to get them close to James' salary, giving the Lakers a balance of young and veteran talent back in return. They also have two first-round picks in this year's draft, as many as four in next year's draft and all of their own first-rounders moving forward, which they could use to sweeten their offer."

If James did want to go to the Knicks, this could be a good return for the Lakers. Randle has two years left on his current deal, with the final year being a player option. Bogdanović is on an expiring contract, and McBride is on a very team-friendly deal for the next few seasons.

The Lakers could also grab some extra draft picks to help set themselves up better for the future. While they would ideally prefer to keep James, a trade package like this could be inciting.

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