NBA legend Charles Barkley thinks LeBron James might end his career with the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs.
This comes after the Lakers made a huge NBA 2025 trade by bringing in Luka Doncic to play alongside LeBron.
Let’s learn a little more about this news.
Charles Barkley’s Suggestion on LeBron James NBA 2025 Trade
Charles Barkley was on ESPN’s Get Up recently, talking about where LeBron James might go next.
He compared LeBron’s career path to Tom Brady’s move to the Buccaneers and threw out two teams that could be exciting fits: the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs.
The idea of LeBron and Steph Curry finally playing together? That’s something fans have been dreaming about for years. Barkley also mentioned the Spurs, which might surprise some people.
He thinks playing alongside young stars like Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox could be a great move for LeBron, both as a player and as a mentor.
Analysis of the Golden State Warriors as a Potential Fit
Imagine LeBron James and Stephen Curry on the same team. If they were both on the Golden State Warriors, they could be unstoppable.
LeBron is amazing at making plays, while Curry is known for his insane shooting. Throw in Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and the Warriors would be a powerhouse on offense and defense.
But it’s not as easy as it sounds. The Warriors would need to figure out how to fit LeBron into their salary cap and avoid paying extra taxes. Plus, LeBron has a no-trade clause, so he’d have to agree to leave his current team.
Analysis of the San Antonio Spurs as a Potential Fit
The San Antonio Spurs just made a big move, picking up De’Aaron Fox from the Sacramento Kings in a three-team trade with the Chicago Bulls. Teaming him up with Victor Wembanyama could be huge for their offense.
Fox is quick, a great playmaker, and knows how to score, which fits perfectly with Wembanyama’s all-around game.
Now, imagine adding LeBron James to the mix—that would take the team to another level. But there’s a problem. The Spurs don’t have any cap space this season, and next year, they’ll only have about $8 million to work with.
Since they recently brought in Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, signing LeBron would be tricky. They’d have to make some big moves to make the money work under NBA rules.
Current Stance and Trades of the Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers just made a huge move. On February 2, 2025, they pulled off a blockbuster trade to bring in Luka Doncic, a five-time All-Star and one of the best young players in the league.
But they’re not thinking about moving on from LeBron James. Instead, they see him as the perfect mentor for Luka. Even at 40, LeBron’s got plenty of wisdom to share, both on and off the court.
Along with Dončić, they also got Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to add depth to the squad. But to make this deal happen, the Lakers had to part ways with Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick.
With Doncic running the show, the Lakers are betting on a bright future. He’s only 25 and already an MVP candidate. The idea is simple—mix LeBron’s experience with the Luka’s skill to keep the Lakers strong for years to come.
The team’s excited about what’s next, but fans will definitely miss Davis and what he brought to the team.