The Los Angeles Lakers are humming through the first quarter of the 2023-24 season but there are still additions that the front office can make to the roster. Every contending team in the league should look to improve where it can and the Lakers are no different.
Los Angeles has already been the talk of the town on the trade rumor front as the team most heavily tied to Zach LaVine. However, trading for LaVine would ultimately be a mistake for the Lakers, so there are other avenues the team must explore.
Many of those avenues still include potentially trading D'Angelo Russell. Russell can be traded after December 15 and it looks like it might just be a matter of time until he is. After all, recent reports indicate that the Lakers are actively looking to trade Russell, despite any early-season success he may be having.
Trading D'Angelo Russell is the best-case scenario for the Lakers
As solid as D'Lo has looked at times this season, it does not change the fact that his style of play simply does not translate to winning basketball in the playoffs. Lakers fans saw this first hand in the 2023 Western Conference Finals and there is a reason why he has bounced around from contender to contender.
Trying to find the right trade package for Russell can be tough, especially if the team is not packaging him for a bigger star like LaVine. Thus, the Lakers may have to get creative and conduct a three-team trade to appease all parties involved.
One team that should have an interest in trading for Russell is the San Antonio Spurs, who the Lakers play on Wednesday and Friday. These two games could be an audition of sorts for Russell, and may open the door for trade discussions between the two Western Conference rivals.
San Antonio doesn't have any assets that should interest the Lakers, but they do have an expiring contract in Doug McDermott that may interest another team. Thus, the three-team trade idea is born. In the following pages, we will break down the trade and hand out grades for each team involved.
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The 3-team D'Angelo Russell trade involving the Lakers and Spurs:
To make this work, the Los Angeles Lakers have to find a team that has an asset it will be willing to trade that may not want Russell in return. This team is going to have to be one of the worst teams in the league, as they will presumably be tanking and will be selling off assets.
The team that makes the most sense right off the bat is the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland has no incentive to win and has a valuable guard asset in Malcolm Brogdon to trade. The Blazers also have no real reason to trade for another ball-dominant point guard with the current roster construction of the team.
Thus, the trade can look something like this:
The four second-round picks can be split evenly between both the Lakers and Spurs, meaning that both teams are sending two second-round picks to Portland in the deal.
While Brogdon is a familiar name in the NBA, he is not someone who has that much trade value. The Boston Celtics acquired him for cheap two offseasons ago and his value is probably less now (because of the injury risk). That might be a risk the Lakers are willing to take, though, as his play better translates to the playoffs.
With the Blazers not really needing another ball-dominant guard, it makes sense for them to get most of the salary back in an expiring (McDermott). That frees up future financial flexibility for the Blazers. Meanwhile, the Spurs get the starting point guard they have needed all season at a low cost.
The logic is there, but how would each team fare if this trade were to actually happen? Let's dive into the report card, shall we?
Lakers grade: B
There are some inherent risks in making this move for the Los Angeles Lakers. Brogdon has not been a beacon of durability in his career and the team would be running the risk of him getting hurt at a key moment and leaving the rotation short-handed.
That being said, his play style fits the Lakers' style of play in the playoffs much better than Russell's does. Los Angeles doesn't need a guard who is worried about getting his who also doesn't defend or rebound in the playoffs.
Brogdon isn't as much of a self-made shot creator but that is not what the Lakers need him to be. He can do just about everything else Russell can do offensively and is a much better defender on the other end.
Spurs grade: A+
The Spurs are the biggest winners of this trade. For the cost of an expiring (bad) role player and two second-round picks, San Antonio gets its starting point guard who can help run the offense for Victor Wembanyama and Co.
San Antonio is the perfect place for Russell as well. There are no expectations there and he would be given an avenue to have a high usage rate and make a difference. Russell would be smart to opt into his player option for the 2024-25 season as San Antonio is the kind of place that can rehabilitate his image and increase his value in free agency.
Sure, Russell is not someone who any team should want starting at point guard in the NBA Finals, but the Spurs do not have to worry about that over the next two years.
Trail Blazers grade: B
Portland will probably want more for Brogdon but the team has to understand what his value is on the open market. This is more than fair value for Brogdon, even if the team is not getting a guaranteed rotation player out of the trade.
The financial flexibility of trading for an expiring is a big plus in itself. Then you throw in a rookie guard with promise in Jalen Hood-Schifino and it is like the Blazers are getting a first-round pick. Second-round picks are not the most valuable, but these picks give Portland more darts to throw at the draft or to include in future trades.