Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 1

Spurs Floated for 2-Year, $30 Million LeBron James Sign-and-Trade as Warriors Lead Race

Updated

Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 1

Spurs Floated for 2-Year, $30 Million LeBron James Sign-and-Trade as Warriors Lead Race

Q: Is trading the Sixth Man of the Year for a 41-year-old LeBron a genius move or a disastrous gamble?

It would be a high-upside gamble, not a clear-cut genius move. For San Antonio, the case is obvious: LeBron James, even at 41, is still producing at an All-Star level after averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season, with stronger playoff output. On a Spurs team that just went 62-20 and reached the Finals behind Victor Wembanyama, adding that level of shot creation, late-game control and championship experience could address exactly what Bill Simmons identified as the missing piece: veteran offensive leadership. The price matters. If the deal is centered on Luke Kornet and Keldon Johnson’s expiring contract, the Spurs would be giving up more than salary ballast. Johnson was the 2025-26 Sixth Man of the Year, played all 82 games, scored 1,081 bench points, and was praised internally as the team’s “heart and soul” and a key locker-room presence. Moving him would weaken San Antonio’s depth, chemistry and second unit reliability. The risk is age and timeline. James turns 42 in December, and any two-year, roughly $30 million-per-year commitment would be a win-now bet with hard-cap and roster-building complications. For a young contender built around Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox, sacrificing depth for a short window could backfire if James declines or misses time. If LeBron remains near his current level, it could be a title-winning swing. If not, the Spurs would have traded a durable culture piece for a very expensive, very short-term solution.

3 articles · Updated · Yahoo Sports · Jul 1

Bill Simmons floated San Antonio as a possible landing spot for 41-year-old LeBron James, proposing a sign-and-trade after James decided Tuesday morning to leave the Lakers.
The idea centers on Luke Kornet and Keldon Johnson's expiring contract, with Simmons suggesting the Spurs could pay James about $30 million annually for two years.
San Antonio's appeal is its recent NBA Finals run and Victor Wembanyama's rise, with Simmons arguing the Spurs lacked one veteran leader in the series.
The scenario remains speculative: the report says Golden State is still the most logical destination, with James widely expected to join Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.