3 All-Stars the Lakers could trade D'Angelo Russell for during 2024-25 season

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

The single most intriguing player on the list of potential targets for the Los Angeles Lakers is Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young. A walking double-double who has produced generational statistics since his rookie campaign, Young is a special talent.

Many have questioned whether Young is ready to play for a team that operates more as a unit than through any one player, but it's hard to overlook how well he'd fit with the Lakers if he buys in.

Over the past five seasons, Young has accumulated absurd averages of 27.1 points, 9.9 assists, and 2.8 three-point field goals made per game. He's averaged as many as 28.4 points, 10.8 assists, and 3.4 three-point field goals made, and has shot as well as 38.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Young also led the Hawks to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, famously posting 48 points and 11 assists in a Game 1 win over the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.

His defensive inconsistency and the question of whether he can thrive in a team-oriented system offer reason for concern. If the Lakers can package D'Angelo Russell and his $18 million expiring contract with reasonable assets to acquire Young, however, they'd be creating a genuine big three.

Moreover, with a pairing of Anthony Davis and Young, the Lakers may just have the superstar duo they need to excel beyond the LeBron James era.

It would cost far more than just Russell, including multiple first-round draft picks, but adding Young would be a gamble on an extraordinary talent.