NBA Trade Rumors: LeBron James Unites With Wembanyama in Proposed Trade

Could the biggest NBA star of the last two decades unite with the man poised to take his crown?

With talk starting to circulate that the LeBron James era could end sooner than later in Los Angeles, pundits are wondering where the Lakers star could possibly be headed for his NBA swan song. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report suggests uniting him with 21-year-old phenom Victor Wembanyama with the San Antonio Spurs would be a trade that could make sense for both teams.

Hughes' proposed deal would look like this:

San Antonio Spurs receive:

LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers receive:

Keldon Johnson
Harrison Barnes
Jeremy Sochan
2027 first-round pick (via ATL)

A union of LeBron and Wemby would be fascinating to watch, and a trade like this could help the Spurs take it to the next level, and make them a true championship contender.

Could the Spurs possibly land LeBron without including one of their other prized youngsters? "Including that Atlanta (first round) pick is the best way to keep Dylan Harper or Stephon Castle out of the deal," writes Hughes.

For the Lakers, the first-rounder is the real jewel in this hypothetical deal, but the real question is, would they want more draft compensation?

The other pieces in the proposed trade could help along those lines. Johnson is still young, 25, and already has a 22-point season under his belt. He has two years remaining on a reasonable contract that pays him $17.5 million a year through 2026-27. The Lakers could, if they wanted, move him again in another deal.

Barnes could become another trade piece for them to flip at the deadline with his expiring $19 million contract, and Jeremy Sochan is a quality rotation player who is also on an expiring deal at $7 million. Again, if the Lakers aren't happy with him, they could flip him as well.

LeBron, at 40, teaming with Wemby at 21? It's an intriguing thought.