The Donovan Mitchell saga is officially over and the Los Angeles Lakers were not part of the trade as initially expected. It was long expected that Los Angeles would be the third team in a package between the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks but the Jazz ended up doing business elsewhere.
Despite not being in the rumor mill, the Cleveland Cavaliers swooped in and made a deal for Mitchell happen. With the Knicks not involved, there was no need for the Lakers to be involved.
Sources: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, three first-round picks and two pick swaps to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 1, 2022
While the Lakers were not directly involved it still has implications on the team. Before today, it was widely accepted that the Lakers had two avenues: either making a three-team deal with Utah and New York or making a two-for-one with Indiana.
After this deal, it might seem like an Indiana trade is the only possible trade for the Lakers. However, since Jazz President Danny Ainge covets the Lakers’ two future first-round picks, Los Angeles can still pull off a Westbrook trade with Utah if needed.
There are two different Russell Westbrook trades the Los Angeles Lakers can make with the Utah Jazz after the Donovan Mitchell trade.
Neither of the trade packages includes any of the new players that Utah acquired from the Cavaliers for Donovan Mitchell. However, those new players can give us an idea of who Utah might be willing to move as the team enters a new, rebuilding era.
To be straightforward upfront, both of these packages are probably worse than the Buddy Hield/Myles Turner package that the team can get from Indiana. However, in the case that an Indy trade is not possible, the Lakers can use one of these two trades as a contingency plan.