Although Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka did not make any trades prior to the deadline, there is still a chance that one will happen in the near future given his recent lack of activity.
In fact, Jovan Buha of The Athletic claims that there’s still a chance for something significant to happen during the offseason.
In a recent post, Buha stated, “The Lakers plan to use the three picks that they will have available this summer… to pursue a star via trade.” “According to team and league sources, Kyrie Irving, Trae Young, and Donovan Mitchell are three possible targets.”
The Lakers and Irving have long toyed with the notion of teaming up; earlier rumors indicated Irving would have been open to getting back together with LeBron James following their shared Cleveland championship victory.
Conversely, there have long been rumors that Donovan Mitchell wants to leave Cleveland. Mitchell’s eventual departure from the Cavaliers, according to Bill Simmons of The Ringer, was the “worst kept secret in the NBA.”
But Cleveland has won 17 of their last 18 games, and they have been on an extremely hot streak lately. The Cavaliers should have a better chance of keeping Mitchell given his current run of play, but his future will still largely depend on how the team does in the postseason.
In regards to Trae Young, the Lakers had talked about package their assets for the Hawks star, according to a report published by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin last month.
This is assuming that Atlanta, who has a contract that expires in 2026–2027, would be willing to part with their best player.
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