With the danger of LeBron James leaving in the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers need to find a new star to anchor the team next season. In that regard, the front office may be targeting Cleveland Cavaliers’ All-Star Donovan Mitchell in the offseason.
Mitchell entered the NBA as the Denver Nuggets’ 13th overall pick in the 2017 Draft and traded shortly after to the Utah Jazz for Tyler Lydon and Trey Lyles. Right from the get-go, the shooting guard made his presence felt in that first year by posting averages of 20.5 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. And even though he lost the Rookie of the Year award to Ben Simmons at that time, the upside Mitchell showed was promising.

However, the All-Star shooting guard clearly hit his ceiling with the Jazz after they were consistently eliminated from the playoffs each year. As a result, Utah started a rebuild by trading Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2022.
After two years wearing the Wine and Gold, Cleveland’s front office will have to decide whether Mitchell is their star or keep Darius Garland in the lineup. The former still has one year left in his current contract and letting him walk away next year for nothing will hurt the Cavs’ future.
Los Angeles Lakers Projected to Go After Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell in the Offseason

In the event Cleveland decides to move on from Mitchell, they should be looking to the Los Angeles Lakers as potential trade partners. In an article by Greg Swartz for Bleacher Report:
“Finding a new alpha scorer is imperative for the Los Angeles Lakers this summer, as relying on a 40-year-old LeBron James as the primary offensive option can’t happen moving forward. Donovan Mitchell is more than capable of playing this role, as he’d be the perfect third piece to play alongside James and Anthony Davis.
Any trade for Mitchell is going to significantly impact the Lakers’ depth and future draft picks, however. A package of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and multiple first-round picks would need to be on the table for the Cleveland Cavaliers to consider a deal, one that only happens if Mitchell refuses to sign an extension,” Swartz wrote.
Moving on from four-time NBA champ LeBron James to Mitchell makes perfect sense for the Lakers due to the former’s age. With Spida as the number one option, Los Angeles’ front office will just have to find guys that fit around him and All-Star big man Anthony Davis to create a championship-worthy roster.

It remains to be seen whether Mitchell will be dealt in the offseason or not. If he’s made available, the Lakers should be ready to pounce on the opportunity.

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