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    The Los Angeles Lakers Targeting 3 Superstars As Potential Offseason Trades

    Bennett ErvinBy Updated:No Comments5 Mins Read
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    The Los Angeles Lakers were utterly silent at the trade deadline, only signing Spencer Dinwiddie after he had been bought out, despite some pressure from LeBron James. With the Lakers standing pat, many NBA Insiders and sources close to the team have hypothesized a potential offseason trade to add a third superstar alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

    Lakers Wait Till Summer to Trade Targeting Three Superstars

    LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Ty Lue, Los Angeles Clippers Superstar
    Jan 3, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Superstar LeBron James reacts to a call against him during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

    The Los Angeles Lakers beat writer for The Athletic, Jovan Buha, from an article a couple of days ago, stated that “this summer could be completely different, especially if the Lakers are willing to package Reaves with their three first-round picks. That’ll at least get them in the conversation for any potentially available star, but the plan also requires James to stay in Los Angeles and for him and Davis to remain as healthy and productive as they’ve been this season.” This offseason, the Lakers will be able to trade either their 2024 or 2025 first-round pick, their 2029 first-round pick, and a 2031 first-round pick to create a legitimate big three in Los Angeles. Jovan Buha also added in his report that according to the team and league sources, the Lakers’ three main targets are Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, and Trae Young.

    Kyrie Irving

    Kyrie Irving deserves credit for his current season with the Dallas Mavericks, as he has not had any off-court drama and has just been playing purely great basketball so far. This season, Kyrie, in his 33 games played, is averaging 25.5 points, five rebounds, and five assists per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field and over 40% from three. The only potential downside to a Kyrie trade is the injury concerns for a 31-year-old who has missed several games the past couple of seasons, including 22 games so far this year after a right foot injury. It is encouraging, though, that injuries have kept Kyrie off the court this season instead of other issues he’s created for himself in the past.

    Putting the off-court issues aside, Kyrie Irving is an all-time great on the court with some of the best handles in the game of all time and one of the greatest and certainly the most creative finishers around the basket. Kyrie has a connection with LeBron, who would look past most off-court and injury concerns since Kyrie has proven he can easily fit alongside James as the second superstar, winning the title for the Cavs in 2016. A big three of Kyrie, LeBron, and Anthony Davis could make a lot of noise in the Western Conference, but the Lakers could have gotten Kyrie for less when he was traded to the Mavericks last season. The value the Lakers would have to give up now, along with the other concerns that come with Kyrie Irving, make him the worst option of the three, but it would still make a lot of sense for an older team looking to win one more title in the Lakers LeBron Era.

    Donovan Mitchell

    Donovan Mitchell makes the most sense for the Los Angeles Lakers as the co-star alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Mitchell, in his two seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers since being traded by the Utah Jazz, has averaged 28.3 points per game, five assists, and four rebounds. Mitchell, though not an excellent defender, certainly isn’t a guard you’re worried about on the defensive end, as his quick hands are helping Mitchell to average nearly two steals per game this season.

    Though Mitchell would likely be the best fit alongside the Lakers’ other superstars, Donovan was just traded in 2022 to the Cavaliers, who gave up a ton of value with three first-round picks, two pick swaps, and multiple players that have increased their value in Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and Ochai Agbaji. It’s hard to see the Cavaliers moving Mitchell to the Lakers for only Austin Reaves, three first-round picks, and possibly Rui Hachimura or other young, talented players unless Mitchell explicitly demands it, similar to what Anthony Davis did when he was dealt to the Lakers in the 2019 NBA offseason.

    Trae Young

    Fans have long wondered what damage a potential duo of LeBron James and Steph Curry would have done in their primes, and this trade would be the light version of that. Young is a different type of player than LeBron is used to playing with, as Trae is a high-usage guard who almost always has the ball in his hands to create. The most apparent benefit Trae would bring to the Lakers is spacing. Young’s ability to hit Curry-like logo threes, though at a slightly lower efficiency than that of Steph, shooting just 37% from three this season, would still give LeBron and Anthony Davis a lot more room to operate inside the arc.

    The other great benefit Young would bring is tremendous passing, especially in pick-and-roll lob situations, having averaged nearly double-digit assists every season of his six-year career. Young shouldn’t be the Lakers’ first option, but many reports suggest he is, as Klutch Sports represents Trea Young, an electric big-name superstar and the easiest of the three potential targets for the Lakers to obtain.

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    Bennett Ervin has been a sports writer for Hardwood Heroics since January 2024. Reporting for the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, and other NBA news as well as discussing Fantasy Basketball news such as trades and weekly wavier wire pickups.

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