Grade the trade: Lakers unfortunately settle for Collin Sexton in proposed deal

There has been a lot of chatter around what the Los Angeles Lakers are going to do this offseason after falling short in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Los Angeles has already made one bold move by hiring J.J. Redick to be the team's next head coach, so anything is possible this summer.

With the Lakers looking to capitalize on a closing title window with LeBron James, there has been a lot of speculation around the team trading for a third star. Los Angeles has three picks to trade (17th overall, 2029 first, 2031 first) along with several contracts to potentially lure in someone like Dejounte Murray or Trae Young.

However, those potential trade packages may end up costing more than the Lakers can offer. With the Lakers potentially still looking to make a splash, the team may have to settle for someone with less star power who comes at a cheaper price.

That someone might be Utah's Collin Sexton. Sexton has emerged as a potential trade target for the Lakers with the 2024 NBA Draft fast approaching. A Sexton deal would not be on the same level as a Young or Murray deal but it would still come at a price.

Potential Los Angeles Lakers trade package for Collin Sexton:

Utah is reportedly looking to move up into the teens of the 2024 NBA Draft and has the 29th and 32nd pick to try and move up. This trade would allow the Jazz to make that move without packaging both as the Lakers would essentially be trading 17 for Sexton.

In this deal the Jazz would get a solid role player they could flip in the future in Hachimura, a former first-round pick in JHS, another young asset to utilize in the 17th pick and another dart to throw at the 2028 NBA Draft.

The Jazz currently have the right to swap picks with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2028 NBA Draft. By doing a swap with the Lakers, Utah would have the right to swap the better of the Cavaliers/Jazz pick with the Lakers' pick if the Lakers ended up having the highest of the three picks. In that scenario, the Jazz would get the highest pick, the Lakers would get the second-highest and the Cavaliers would get the worst.

Los Angeles Lakers grade for Collin Sexton trade: C+

This would be a good example of a team pivoting and ensuring that it gets something instead of nothing. Sexton is not a star like the other trade targets who have been mentioned as he would essentially give the Lakers another version of D'Angelo Russell. Thus, the Lakers would be moving laterally.

It is better to move laterally than backward, though, and this is a fair price for someone who could be the fourth-best player on the Lakers next season. Sexton will be far more impactful than the 17th pick is going to be and it is clear that the Lakers are okay with moving on from Hachimura if the price is right.

The 2028 pick swap also allows the Lakers to still trade the 2029 and 2031 unprotected first-round picks if it comes to it in the future.

This trade would be disappointing considering what else may have been possible but it would still be making the best out of a potentially bad situation.

Utah Jazz grade for Collin Sexton trade: A

This is probably the maximum value the Jazz could get for Sexton on the trade market. This trade alone is not one that will completely reinvent the franchise but it is a good example of maximizing current resources to improve the future outlook of the team.

The 17th pick alone with Hachimura is enough to justify this deal for Utah but knowing Danny Ainge, he can likely milk the Lakers out of the pick swap in 2028. Los Angeles would still get the guarantee of getting a first-round pick as Utah is just playing the numbers game to get another shot at a top selection.