Grade the trade: Lakers flip D'Angelo Russell to Raptors in 3-team proposal
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night in a game that presents a unique opportunity for Lakers fans. After trading OG Anunoby, the Raptors could be entering a fire sale of sorts and the Lakers might be interested.
Pascal Siakam is the biggest name that the Toronto Raptors can trade this season and it would be shocking if he was not dealt before the deadline. Siakam is on an expiring deal and it does not look like he wants to stay in Toronto long-term. The Raptors should learn from their Fred VanVleet experience and not allow the all-star forward to leave for free.
Siakam is probably out of the Lakers' price range but the team can still utilize the Siakam rumors to their advantage. Instead of trading for someone like Gary Trent Jr, the Lakers can take advantage of a potential Raptors' fire sale by jumping into a Siakam trade as a third team.
The Lakers may not be able to get Siakam but the team could get a rerouted player that the Raptors do not need instead. This opens many doors for the Lake Show, including one with a player who has been connected to the team in trade rumors for years now.
Lakers could theoretically trade for Buddy Hield via Pascal Siakam
Buddy Hield is back on the trade block and the Indiana Pacers are one of the most talked-about teams when it comes to the Siakam sweepstakes. Because of his salary, Hield would almost have to be in a deal for Siakam.
Toronto doesn't really need Hield, who is also on an expiring deal. Sure, the team could take him in as salary filler but it could also look to flip him for more assets from another team. That is where the Lakers can come into play.
With a D'Angelo Russell trade seeming more and more likely, he becomes the obvious player that the Lakers can throw into this potential deal. But what exactly would the framework of this trade look like? On the following pages, we will dive into the trade itself as well as hand out grades for each party.