Proposed trades returning LeBron James to Eastern Conference are true nightmare fuel for Boston Celtics

Several trade proposals from Bill Simmons on "The Bill Simmons Podcast" returning LeBron James to the Eastern Conference would be true nightmare fuel for the Boston Celtics; who haven't always been able to handle the "king" in postseason competition given LeBron's 25-16 all-time playoff record against the Cs.

One proposal Simmons discussed at length was an offer that'd send James back to the Miami Heat, the franchise he has won half of his four championships with.

“I had LeBron and Gabe Vincent going back to Miami for Lowry and Robinson, maybe throw in [Nikola] Jović, and a future first... Kinda do right by LeBron," Simmons said (h/t Inside The Heat). "There’s the symmetry of LeBron going back to Miami 10 years later. If they could keep [Jaime] Jaquez, Caleb Martin, Butler, Bam, Tyler Herro and add LeBron to all of that. That becomes a possible favorite in the East.”

Another proposal sending James to Miami had the Los Angeles Lakers landing Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez, Caleb Martin, and draft picks. The Heat weren't the only Eastern Conference franchise Simmons dreamed up LeBron to, though.

Bill Simmons imagined several Boston Celtics nightmare scenarios of LeBron James returning to the east

A Milwaukee Bucks proposal would form a Big Three of James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Damian Lillard at the expense of Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton. The Philadelphia 76ers would do the same with James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey at the expense of Tobias Harris, filler salary, and draft capital. A New York Knicks proposal would cost NY Julius Randle and picks. Yet another return to the Cleveland Cavaliers would speculatively include Donovan Mitchell and Caris LeVert heading to L.A.

James going to the Golden State Warriors may just be the best-case scenario for the Boston Celtics. Simmons had two different proposals; one involving a return of Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney, and Jonathan Kuminga -- the latter of whom asked for a trade from the Bay -- and another involving Moses Moody, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, Kuminga, and second-round picks.

Even a LeBron-Warriors scenario may be fatal to the Boston Celtics' title hopes, though.

Let's hope James stays a Laker, where he can cling to the 2020 bubble title as his defining L.A. moment and likely get bounced from the playoffs before the Celtics would have to worry about a Western Conference team.