The Los Angeles Lakers can’t really start to focus on their roster until they hire a new head coach but with JJ Redick appearing to be the driver’s seat for the job, the team should at least be exploring their options. Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young has been linked to the team for a while now, but a deal hasn’t come to fruition.
If the Lakers want Young, it’s likely going to cost a lot. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report pitched a three-team trade that would also involve the Toronto Raptors. The Hawks would get Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, a 2028 first-round pick swap with Los Angeles, a 2029 first-round pick from Los Angeles and a 2031 first-round pick from Los Angeles and Jalen McDaniel’s from the Raptors. The Lakers would get Young and Kelly Olynyk.
“Despite the steady stream of criticism that’s followed Young for most of his career, he averaged 27.1 points, 9.9 assists and 2.8 threes per game over the last five seasons,” Bailey wrote in a June 1 column. “He’s one of the best and most dynamic offensive engines and pick-and-roll playmakers in the NBA. The Lakers also might feel a bit better about their post-LeBron James with a Young-Anthony Davis duo in place.”
The Lakers would be giving up a lot in this trade but would get a star point guard to pair with Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Kelly Olynyk Would Also Help Los Angeles Lakers
If the Lakers were to make this trade, they’d be sacrificing many of their best depth pieces. Reaves, Hachimura and Vanderbilt are important players for Los Angeles. Being able to land Olynyk in this deal would make it easier to lose some of those key players.
“With his size, passing ability and outside shot, Kelly Olynyk would fit seamlessly on just about any contender, but that’s especially true with the Lakers,” Bailey wrote. “The 6’11” big would move Davis back to his natural spot at the 4 without sacrificing any floor spacing.”
One of the Lakers’ downfalls this season was not having a capable big man next to Davis. Christian Wood
was hurt for the playoff run but didn’t have a particularly great season. Olynyk is a dependable big man who is a solid shooter. He’d be a good fit next to Davis and having him play less center could be a good thing for Los Angeles.
Is Another Star What the Los Angeles Lakers Want?
The NBA is increasingly eschewing the practice of constructing teams with three or more max stars. Building out the rest of the roster is extremely challenging when three players are signed to maximum contracts.
Leading players Davis and James comprised a deep roster that the Lakers possessed when they won the title in 2020. Their attempt to bring Russell Westbrook into the fold backfired miserably. Although Young is not the same player as Westbrook, he would still cause some of the same issues. We’ll see what the Lakers decide to do.
They fell in Round 1 of the playoffs despite their efforts to assemble a stronger team this season around Davis and James.
