Realistic Anthony Davis trade packages for the Warriors, Cavs and 76ers to lock down LeBron

With August right around the corner, LeBron James still has not decided where he will play basketball next season. Five teams are in the mix: Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia and Minnesota. Of those teams, the East heavyweights are typically propped up as the “favorites,” even if little tangible information is available.

So what’s the hold up? LeBron has known the general mix of teams he’s choosing between for a while. According to Yahoo reporter Kevin O’Connor, NBA sources believe LeBron could be waiting to see if any suitor can acquire Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving. Neither seems imminently available at the moment, but let’s start with some realistic Davis trade packages, should he attempt to strong-arm his way out of D.C.

Warriors trade package for Anthony Davis

This is the easiest Anthony Davis trade to visualize at this point. Golden State was rumored to be targeting both LeBron and AD early in the offseason, only for Washington to affirm and reaffirm its commitment to seeing the Davis project through. That can still change, however, as Davis becomes eligible for a contract extension on Aug. 6. If he refuses to engage, or sets a hard-line demand for a long-term max, the Wizards will need to rethink a few things.

Jimmy Butler is still rehabbing from a torn ACL. An older, non-shooting wing coming off of major surgery is not the most alluring archetype, but Butler has done nothing but win at every stop in his NBA career. He’s probably a great mentor for AJ Dybantsa if the Wizards keep him. If Butler forces his way out of Washington before he arrives, so be it. On a giant expiring contract, Butler can probably net Washington another first-round pick in a separate deal (or by simply roping a third team into this framework with Golden State).

It’s unclear how all the pieces would fit together in Golden State with Davis and LeBron. Draymond Green presumably re-signs regardless of how the LeBron sweepstakes concludes, but the Warriors just paid Kristaps Porzingis $20 million AAV. Are the Dubs going to start Porzingis, Davis and Green? Is Green accepting a bench role? Is Porzingis. Either way, the Dubs would be very old and very fragile, but also very talented and a joy to watch.

Cavaliers trade package for Anthony Davis

If LeBron is all about winning, he should consider a basic number: 56. That’s how many games Jarrett Allen played last season. He played 82 games the season prior, and 77 games the season before that. Davis played 20 games before his trade to Washington and was shut down afterward. He has played 56 games just twice in the past six years. LeBron should probably prefer Allen from a strictly basketball standpoint.

That said, LeBron still has major sway in this league and he absolutely improves Cleveland’s championship odds in 2027. If trading for Davis is what it takes to bring LeBron home for his swan song, the Cavs at least need to consider it. Folding Tristan Vukčević into the trade — a fun stretch big who can help Cleveland hedge against injuries a bit — helps make this easier to stomach.

For Washington, this is a dream. Allen is 28 and locked up for two additional seasons at a team-friendly number. He aligns far better with the timeline (and skill set) of AJ Dybantsa, Alex Sarr and the Wizards’ young core. He’s a monster defender still in his prime. The ground coverage between Allen and Sarr in the frontcourt would be absurd. Giving Trae Young an elite lob-catcher sure wouldn’t hurt either. The Wizards will fight an uphill battle to maximize that $212 million investment, but that’s part of the calculus now.

76ers trade package for Anthony Davis

A profoundly depressing trade on the surface, but a potential means to an end for both sides. Embiid has two more years on his contract, Davis only has one (a player option). If the Sixers turn around and extend Davis, the financial benefits are kaput, but attracting LeBron and going all-in with a lineup of Davis, James, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey has its appeal.

For the Wizards, you don’t need to worry about an extension (yet) with Embiid. That contract gets a bad rap, and understandably so, but Embiid is still a top-10 player when he’s on the floor. You can’t really say that about Davis. This is Embiid’s first healthy offseason in eons. He’s a generational offensive talent and he’s still a deterrent at the rim on defense. The combined advantage creation between Embiid, Dybantsa and Young would render Washington very difficult to defend, if it all fits together.

Whether the Wizards can actually keep Embiid and Young on the floor together is another matter entirely. He’s also going to suck up more oxygen than Davis, which could impede Dybantsa’s evolution into their franchise lodestar. Those are factors to consider, and Embiid is literally the only max-paid center who’s less durable than Davis. But from a pure talent standpoint, the Wizards are upgrading.

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