The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the most active teams in the entire NBA during the early phases of free agency. Los Angeles made a litany of signings to bring back last year’s core and make additions to get the roster to 13 players. Lakers fans are now waiting for the team’s next move.
While the next move might not be a massive one, it might not be long until the Lakers are looking at making another blockbuster trade.
Trae Young is someone who has previously been tied to the Lakers and the interest appears to still be there. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Young has “long been on Los Angeles’ radar, depending on how his situation unfolds in Atlanta.”
NBA Rumors: The Lakers are still interested in trading for Trae Young
As of right now, the Hawks are not shopping Trae Young. However, there definitely is a reality in which Young is on the block after the 2023-24 season. There is a new disgruntled superstar every six months and the Hawks haven’t been making the type of moves that indicate the team is going to go all-in.
Young has four more years on his contract valued at over $170 million. If Atlanta doesn’t think he is a championship-winning player then the team could look to get off of his massive contract before the situation becomes too hostile.
It will likely take a trade demand from Young but that would be the least surprising thing to happen considering how NBA superstars handle business in 2023.
What a Trae Young trade would look like for the Lakers:
It would take a lot to get Young from the Hawks and this would pretty much be all the Lakers would be able to offer. Los Angeles would be trading two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps to Atlanta, giving the Hawks four years’ worth of control.
Los Angeles would still have a first-round pick in 2028 and 2030, the team would just have the worst of the two picks between the two teams. This would remove the Lakers’ chances of making any other huge trades as all the future assets would be tied up.
It is also important to note that the Lakers cannot trade the team’s 2031 pick until after the 2024 NBA Draft. This is a trade that would have to happen next offseason, which is the most likely time for Young to hit the market, if he does.
It would also have to include D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura simply to make the money work. Atlanta could look to flip both players for more assets. Jalen Hood-Schifino is the icing on the cake as the 17th overall pick.
This would be putting all of the team’s eggs in the basket of a polarizing player who may not lead to winning basketball. Some fans may love this idea, and some may hate it, but is seems like it could be a possibility either way.