Jackson Caudell, Rohan Raman | Jul 12, 2025

Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) and guard Mike Conley (10) during the second half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena.

We are more than a week into free agency, and the landscape for the NBA is starting to take shape for next season.

After trading for Kristaps Porzingis and drafting Asa Newell, Atlanta reached a pair of huge free agent signings on the first day of the free agency period. The Hawks signed Wolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to a four-year, $62 million deal in a sign and trade that sent a 2027 2nd-round pick (via CLE) to the Wolves. Then, the Hawks signed free agent guard Luke Kennard to a one-year, $11 million deal. Not only that, but they got an unprotected first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in a draft-night trade. Given the massive injuries in the Eastern Conference next season, it seems that the Atlanta Hawks are going for it and making moves to put themselves in position to contend. One area they could still use some depth is at small forward, a third center. or another ball-handler. They have two roster spots remaining.

There was a bit of interesting news at the start of free agency regarding LeBron James and the Lakers. James opted into his $52.6 million player option for the upcoming season, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, but some of the quotes that came from Charania’s story left the impression that a trade could be possible for James and the Lakers.

It seems far-fetched, and let me be clear, I don’t think the Lakers move James, but this at least opens the door to the possibility. It is not the worst idea either. James would have suitors, even with his enormous salary, and the Lakers can continue to build around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. This would also give the Lakers more room to sign Reaves to an extension.

If James is traded, the list of teams that are ready to compete for a title now is small, but there are options out there. James does have a no-trade clause, but there are certainly some teams he might be open to joining. Would the Timberwolves be one of them?

Minnesota has had a somewhat quiet offseason, bringing back Julius Randle and Naz Reid while letting Nickeil Alexander-Walker go. They were reportedly interested in trading for Kevin Durant before he went to Houston, but Durant reportedly did not want to land with the Timberwolves. After back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Finals, does Minnesota need a bit of a shakeup to their roster? If they were interested in Durant, it would make some sense that they would be interested in trading for James if they wanted to trade for Durant. James was a second team All-NBA player last year and while the defense has declined, he is still a force on the basketball court and could be the shakeup that Minnesota needs.

So how about a trade where each of these teams tries to fill a need?

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Hawks Receive: Mike Conley

Lakers Receive: Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, and a 2032 unprotected 1st round pick swap

Timberwolves Receive: LeBron James, Bronny James, Dalton Knecht, and Vit Krejci

Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) moves to the basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit:

Why the Hawks do this trade: Adding Conley would give them a veteran ball handler behind Trae Young and someone who can run the offense when he is off the floor. He is on an expiring contract so the Hawks are not tied to him long term and it keeps their optionality and flexibility open for future seasons. Conley is only going to need to play 10-12 minutes per game, and that is a role in which he should excel. Yes, the Hawks signed Nikola Durisic yesterday, but he is more of a long-term bet than a bet to be an impact player this year and might spend most of his season in College Park unless there is an injury.

Why the Hawks don’t do this trade: Even though they move Krejci in this hypothetical, this move might put the Hawks over the luxury tax, something they have not paid. Conley is also not a strong defender and might not be a viable player in the playoffs. Krejci still has to develop and has potential which the Hawks may not want to give up on for one year of Conley.

Why the Lakers do this trade: If James wants out, the Lakers could still use a center and there are not many centers that are better defenders than Gobert. While he is aging, he is still an elite rim protector and would be just the kind of player that pairs well with Luka Doncic. DiVincenzo would give the Lakers a huge boost on the bench and getting a potentially valuable pick swap would be the icing on the cake. The Lakers would be a deeper and more complete team after this trade and they still have enough assets to make another move if they wanted.

Why the Lakers don’t do this trade: Either another team offers a better package or James uses the power of his no-trade clause. This is a good deal for Los Angeles

Why the Timberwolves do this trade: They switch up their roster by moving Gobert and DiVincenzo in hopes that this gets them over the hump. Naz Reid can take over at center for Gobert, and James can pair up with Edwards and Randle to try and lead Minnesota to the Finals. Getting off of Gobert’s contract might be a smart move since he has three years left on it. Knecht and Bronny James give them young players to develop, as well as Krejci, who is a high-level passer and three-point shooter.

Why the Timberwolves don’t do this trade: Gobert is such an important piece to their defense and identity. Minnesota’s defense would be much worse without him. If this does not workout and James retires in two years, Minnesota will have some re-tooling to do on their roster. It would come down to if James has enough left in the tank to get them a championship and if young players like Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr, and Jaylen Clark are ready to be real rotation players.

To summarize, Minnesota has not shown any interest in James and I think it is unlikely they trade for him, but if they were involved with Durant, they may think about making the move. The Hawks could see an opportunity in any type of deal like this to attach themselves to it and get a role player to help fill out their team.