Grade the trade pitch: Trae Young resurfaces as Lakers build a new Big Three

The Los Angeles Lakers have built multiple dynasties by adding superstars who began their careers elsewhere. The NBA Draft has been essential to creating the foundation for sustained success, but Los Angeles is the gold standard as far as trading for established names is concerned.

With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the Lakers have been linked to yet another perennial All-Star, Trae Young, for the better part of a year.

While formal rumors have been limited, the Lakers have been linked to Young, 26, on a regular basis over the past 12 months. Many have connected the dots between Atlanta struggling to play at the level they reached when they made the 2021 Conference Finals and Los Angeles being a star-driven franchise.

With LeBron James nearing 40 years of age and Anthony Davis in need of a co-star who can outlast the current era, it's a rational leap to bring in a younger elite facilitator.

With the 2024-25 season underway, the speculation as taken hold yet again. Los Angeles is playing well, Atlanta is fighting to stay above the .500 line, and the question is being asked once more: What if the Hawks restarted and the Lakers went all-in on their current vision?

The follow-up question is: What would the Lakers have to give up in this scenario?

The Trade

Any time a team trades for a multi-time All-Star, the cost will be steep. In the case of acquiring Young, a three-time All-Star, it wouldn't just be a matter of providing value that the Hawks deem sufficient—but finding a way to match the $43,031,940 he's owed in 2024-25.

In a trade proposed by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, the Lakers would be giving up Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, two first-round draft picks, and a pick swap to land Young.

That's a steep price to pay for any player, especially when one considers how long it's been since the Lakers could consistently fill out their roster with players on rookie-scale contracts. 2029 and 2031 are several years out, of course, and the hope would be that Los Angeles would've won at least one title by then.

The ends would justify the means in that scenario, especially when one considers that James could retire by the time the first of the two outgoing picks come into play.

The bigger question thus becomes whether this deal gets the Lakers close enough to truly contend. Acquiring Young without giving up Austin Reaves would be an absolute win, but it's fair to question if that backcourt pairing could hold opponents in check with their defense.

A trade for a superstar has never been perfect, and the Lakers would need to turn to free agency in 2025 to build a deeper roster, but this proposed deal gives the team something to think about.

The Grade

Giving up Russell and Vincent for Young would deplete the depth at point guard, but that's a move the Lakers would be happy to make. Young is a walking double-double with an outside shot that holds defenders accountable, even when it doesn't fall, and intriguing postseason experience.

Even giving up Rui Hachimura, which would greatly limit the team's options for 3-and-D value, would be offset by the acquisition of Young.

On paper, this deal makes sense. The Lakers would likely roll out a starting lineup of Young, Reaves, Davis, James, and either Dalton Knecht or Jarred Vanderbilt—a group that could compete with any team in the NBA when healthy.

Los Angeles has also paid Max Christie to be the type of player who can ideally complement a trio of this nature—but the conversation about money is where the problems begin to emerge.

Davis will make $54,126,380 in 2025-26, while Young will check in at $45,999,660. James will either opt-out to sign a new max-level deal or return at $52,627,153. Throw in Reaves' $13,937,574 and Vanderbilt's $11,571,429 salaries, and the Lakers would be paying $178,262,196 to just five players next season—and they won't have a 2025 first-round draft pick to add a quality player on a rookie-scale contract.

The potential core of Davis, James, Reaves, and Young would be captivating, but with just five players pushing the Lakers to the cusp of the luxury tax—and other owed salaries that would put them into the first, if not second apron—there's significant risk involved in this deal.

It makes sense on paper, but the salaries involved complicate the matter to the point of potentially being too limiting to pull this off. A trade that could be an A thus takes a slight hit.