2. The Magic become the Russell Westbrook trade team for the Lakers
Perhaps the Orlando Magic could be the Russell Westbrook trade team. Mo Bamba is essentially the B+ version of Myles Turner and this trade could be the B+ version of what Los Angeles would get in return versus the Indiana Pacers trade.
So why would the Lakers make a trade like this when the team did not want to make a trade with the Pacers? The number of first-round picks involved. The players that Orlando would be sending in return do not have nearly as much value as the Pacers’ players, so the Lakers can potentially get away with sending just one pick instead of multiple.
Orlando doesn’t need these players and benefits all around from this trade. They get a valuable first-round pick, can buy out Westbrook and get out of Markelle Fultz’s contract next year. Fultz has not been bad at all but he is not the future of this basketball team.
In this specific proposal, we included a 2028 pick swap because it would allow the Lakers to still trade their 2027 and 2029 picks in the future and adhere to the Stepien Rule. However, Orlando may instead act for a protected first straight up, and in the worst case, one of the unprotected firsts.
That is still better than sending two picks and the Lakers would be getting a valuable return. Bamba and Fultz are not as good as Hield or Turner but they are young and would continue this trend of the Lakers adding young players who can be part of the rotation for years to come.