3 pros, 2 cons to Lakers trading for Donovan Mitchell

Con: Trading for Donovan Mitchell would cost almost everything

The Los Angeles Lakers would be one of the most captivating teams in the NBA with a trio of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Donovan Mitchell. All three players are among the best in the world, and all should be able to play off of one another stylistically.

For as true as that may be, the Lakers would likely need to deplete what little they have left as far as depth and resources are concerned in order to make this deal happen.

Despite receiving a combined 97.9 points per game from James, Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura, the Lakers finished the 2023-24 regular season ranked 15th in offensive rating. Obviously, those numbers require context, as not every game was played with all five of those players on the court.

In saying that, it certainly speaks to a desperate need for depth—as does the fact that the Lakers’ bench ranked 28th in the NBA in both points per game and points per 100 possessions.

Clearly, a roster with three players who can all go for 30 points in their sleep is an intriguing proposition. As the NBA makes it more challenging for superteams to be constructed and sustained, however, the Lakers would need to accept that depth would be even more of a problem in 2024-25 than it was this past season.

Deciding whether or not that’s a risk worth taking could be the very thing that determines whether or not the Lakers go all-in on Mitchell.