The latest intel suggests that LA’s chances of getting a big name star just went up.
When the Los Angeles Lakers failed to make any significant transactions around the NBA trade deadline three weeks ago, many fans were left feeling let down. The Lakers have had a bad season due to injuries, so there was a general consensus that they should acquire someone to improve their squad and get ready for the playoffs, which should happen in less than two months.
Instead, Los Angeles decided to wait until the deadline to sign Spencer Dinwiddie and made one tiny signing. Although this appeared to be a lack of competence on the part of management, it was apparently a planned action taken since the organisation thought they could have a chance to sign Donovan Mitchell this summer.
More likely to have an impact than anything the Lakers could have feasibly done at this year’s trade deadline would be landing a big-name talent like Donovan. Furthermore, based on the most recent reports, Los Angeles’ prospects of signing Mitchell this summer have significantly increased. There may be less chance that Donovan ends up with the New York Knicks, according to NBA Insider Brian Windhorst.
Lakers may now be the favorites for a Donovan Mitchell trade
On Wednesday morning’s episode of First Take, Windhorst shared his opinion that, given Jalen Brunson’s current play, Mitchell’s fantasy of signing with the Knicks may already be over. Between this season and the previous, Brunson blossomed into an All-Star and even an All-NBA player, making him the undisputed franchise player for New York.
“[Mitchell] has got to be looking at what Jalen Brunson has and feeling like ‘damn, that could’ve been me,'” Windhorst said. “I don’t know if the Donovan Mitchell Knicks thing is really still a possibility.”
For the Lakers, this is wonderful news. Los Angeles is the most storied club in the history of the league, so they will always have an opportunity to sign big-name players, but they have already made it obvious that they are specifically interested in the star guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Lakers should feel secure in their position as the next in line if Donovan Mitchell is indeed out of the running to end up in the Big Apple.
