Report: the Los Angeles Lakers officially approved Blockbuster Trade to Acquire $163 Million “Bona Fide Star
It might also be closely related to the Lakers’ long-term goals.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported on January 23 that “the Lakers have discussed internally the possibility of packaging three picks, along with players they already have on their books, to pursue a bona fide star.” “Like Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell.”
Mitchell, 27, was selected for the first time to the All-NBA team last season. He is a four-time All-Star. For the Cavaliers this season, he is averaging 27.8 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.4 rebounds.
The contract includes a $37.1 million player option for the last year. However, there have already been rumors that he does not intend to sign with Cleveland again, which could pave the way for a major trade.
He’s already turned down one chance for an extension, though that might have been more due to budgetary constraints. Mitchell anticipates earning a significant increase in salary as a free agent.
On December 12, Action Network’s Matt Moore said that two teams to keep an eye on are the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks. Additionally, the Lakers, who are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference, will probably have to hope that nothing changes between Mitchell and the Cavaliers.
Reasons for the Lakers’ Waiting Game
According to McMenamin, “the Lakers currently have one future first-round pick available for trade.” However, they will have three starting on the day of the NBA draft: 2031, 2029, and either 2024 or 2025, depending on whether New Orleans decides to use the 2024 pick it previously received from Los Angeles or tosses it to the next draft.
The Lakers players most frequently mentioned in trade rumors are Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura. However, according to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Reports on January 16, the Lakers want to hold onto Reaves and Hachimura.
On January 19, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported that Russell, Hachimura, and Vincent are all unlikely to be traded for anything.
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