The Los Angeles Lakers will soon face the prospect of losing arguably the greatest player in NBA history for nothing in return, but that doesn’t have to be how things end for LeBron James in L.A.
The talk of James leaving the Lakers following the 2025-26 season slowed down significantly after the team ripped off 16 wins over an 18-game stretch and appeared poised for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and a competitive playoff run.
But injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have all but closed the door on anything truly exciting materializing for Los Angeles this postseason, and options on how the Lakers might maximize James’ exit to their own benefit have begun in earnest.
Nick Wright of FS1 suggested on Tuesday, April 7 a sign-and-trade deal with the Denver Nuggets, which sends James to Denver alongside three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and allows James to ink a contract above the league minimum for a contender.
It also helps the Nuggets avoid the loss of Peyton Watson for nothing, while slotting Watson in alongside Doncic and Reaves for the longterm.
“The fact that the Nuggets are anticipating losing Peyton Watson, who is a perfect fit for the Lakers as far as defensive wing … if both teams feel like if we’re gonna lose LeBron, [and] if we’re gonna lose Peyton Watson for nothing, trade with each other, both guys get paid,” Wright said.
Peyton Watson Player Type Lakers Seeking Around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves
GettyPeyton Watson of the Denver Nuggets.
Other possibilities for James following his age-41 campaign, should he decide to continue playing and forego retirement, include the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks.
However, Wright doesn’t believe those options offer James a legitimate shot at a title, which render them less likely.
“I don’t think they could win a title in Golden State. I think New York, it would take a great LeBron season,” Wright continued. “Denver, to me, is increasingly fascinating.”
If Watson came back as part of the arrangement, the Nuggets would also seemingly be a better situation than any other where the Lakers’ prospects are concerned. Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.9 steals per game in Denver this season while shooting 41.1 percent on 3.6 attempts from behind the 3-point arc.
But there is an argument that James returning to Los Angeles on a significantly reduced contract is the most logical, and likely, scenario if his retirement isn’t on the table.
LeBron James’ Return to Lakers Makes Sense at Near League-Minimum Contract
GettyLeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
James is making $52.6 million this season, which when cleared off the books over the summer will provide Los Angeles with much-needed funds to extend Reaves and rebuild the rest of the roster around Doncic with wing defense, as well as size and athleticism at the rim on both ends of the floor.
But James also fell nicely into an increasingly off-ball role as the team’s third offensive option over the stretch run. Beyond that, his son remains a member of the Lakers organization.
Thus, if James was willing to come back on a league minimum (approximated at nearly $4 million in 2026-27), or something close to it, his continued presence on the roster could be a significant plus rather than an impediment to the Lakers getting younger and more defensively focused moving forward.
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