Warriors Continue to Explore LeBron Trade; Marciulionis Chooses Lakers; Booker Poised for Larger Role
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The Golden State Warriors have made several attempts over the past 18 months to acquire LeBron James from the Los Angeles Lakers, hoping to reunite the four-time MVP with Stephen Curry, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
Team sources told Fischer that Golden State engaged the Lakers multiple times on trade concepts, but talks stalled each time. James and Curry last played together at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they helped Team USA win gold under Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. Golden State’s front office is interested in recreating that chemistry at the NBA level.
Matching James’ $52.6 million player option salary for the 2025-26 season remains the primary obstacle, Fischer noted. Constructing a legal trade package would likely require the Warriors to dismantle key pieces of their core—a challenge that would also apply if Giannis Antetokounmpo were to request a trade from Milwaukee.
Lakers Add Marciulionis on Exhibit 10 Deal
Rookie guard Augustas Marciulionis opted to sign an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers in July, turning down a similar offer from the Milwaukee Bucks, he told BasketNews. The 23-year-old Latvian, the son of former NBA player Šarūnas Marčiulionis, cited stronger personal connections in Los Angeles as the deciding factor. “We understood the situation better there,” Marciulionis said. The former Saint Mary’s floor general will enter training camp after recovering from a pre-draft foot fracture.
Booker May Shoulder Suns’ Scoring Load
With Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal now gone, Devin Booker is expected to lead the Phoenix Suns’ offense under new head coach Jordan Ott. Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic analyzed whether the three-time All-Star can average 30 points per game after posting 25.6 PPG last season on subpar shooting splits. Rankin believes the mark is reachable if Booker increases his shot volume to at least 20 attempts per night, gets to the free-throw line more often, improves his three-point percentage and benefits from easier looks in Ott’s system.
Ott Brings Dwyer to Phoenix Staff
In a separate report, Rankin added that Ott hired Sean Dwyer as an assistant coach largely because of the trust built during their time together on Michigan State’s staff.
Source: Hoops Rumors
