Warriors' LeBron James dream gets real but requires one agonizing sacrifice

There's no secret that the Golden State Warriors would love to pair LeBron James with Stephen Curry, having tried do so most notably at the 2024 mid-season deadline.

That dream may still be on the table this offseason, with James opting into his player option with the Los Angeles Lakers while his agent, Rich Paul, delivered a strange statement about the contrasting aims of LeBron and the franchise.

There's considerable speculation surrounding James' future with the Lakers, including from long-time Phoenix radio host John Gambadoro who claims "Lebron wants out of LA and they want him gone."

Golden State's path to landing James this offseason is still complicated and ultimately unlikely, but they do have a chance to trade for the 4x MVP if they're willing to make one agonizing sacrifice.

The Warriors would have to move Jimmy Butler in a LeBron James trade

Theoretically, the Warriors could try to trade Draymond Green, Moses Moody, Buddy Hield and other smaller salaries for James, but the far cleaner and easier deal would be a direct swap involving Jimmy Butler.

Butler actually makes more than James next season, having agreed to a two-year, $111 million extension with Golden State in February upon his arrival from the Miami Heat. James has just opted into a $52.6 million deal, making a swap fairly easy from a salary-matching standpoint so long as neither team are pushed right up against or over the second apron.

But would the Warriors actually be willing to sacrifice Butler for a 40-year-old James on an expiring contract? There's a strong argument that James is still the superior player, having averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists with the Lakers last season while being named on the All-NBA Second Team alongside Curry.

Yet as Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Chronicle described on Wednesday, it may not be that simple for the Warriors given the impact Butler had on the franchise over the final months of last season.

"The only practical way they could match LeBron’s salary in a trade now is if they send out Butler, which I am quite sure the Warriors do not want to do," Kawakami wrote. "I’m not saying they don’t think LeBron, even at 40, is better than Butler. But the Warriors’ leaders love how Butler fit in with Curry and Draymond and played for Kerr, and they’ve got Butler signed for two more seasons."

As Kawakami also outlines, Golden State may have to throw incentives at the Lakers in the way of picks to take on the two years of Butler's remaining deal. Suddenly Butler + picks becomes a lot less appetizing for the Warriors, particularly when you only might get a year from James who could leave as a free agent next offseason, or retire from the game altogether.

It's also worth noting that Butler can't be traded until August 6 anyway, meaning nothing will happen imminently as the Warriors focus on resolving the future of restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and their pursuit of Boston Celtics veteran Al Horford.