The Los Angeles Lakers are at present in the course of a playoff run, however a brand new report means that they’ve massive future plans. The Lakers managed to remake their roster midseason and make the playoffs regardless of a 2-11 begin; now they’re going toe-to-toe with the second-seed Memphis Grizzlies.
Even nonetheless, their roster upgrades will not be sufficient to hold them to the NBA Finals, seemingly leading to additional adjustments within the offseason. One potential change could possibly be that they aim all-star Trae Younger if he isn’t moved to a different group this summer season. That may appear far-fetched, however, in keeping with Sean Deveney, it’s a risk.
The Lakers have ties to Trae Younger, however the odds of touchdown him seem low.
The brand new collective bargaining settlement, which was handed lower than a month in the past, could throw a wrench in these plans earlier than they’re even put into movement, nonetheless. The brand new CBA appears tailored to cease groups just like the Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors from persevering with to spend the way in which they’ve with out penalties.
The truth is, had the deal been in place sooner, the Lakers wouldn’t have been in a position to pull off the Russell Westbrook commerce that noticed them purchase D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz.
They have been in a position to as a result of they agreed to commerce their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks, however underneath the luxurious tax, groups at the moment are restricted from sending first-rounders which are six years out. Except the Lakers are prepared to commerce Anthony Davis, they in all probability aren’t going to have the ability to land Younger with out tradeable picks. Stranger issues have occurred, although. Oklahoma Metropolis acquired Paul George with out giving up any picks, then later flipped him for 5 firsts and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Who’s to say that the Lakers can’t pull off an analogous commerce? The Atlanta Hawks, technically. It ought to no less than be famous that they seem open to contemplating shifting Younger, and if he has any say, he would possibly select the Lakers for all the plain causes. Chief amongst them is that he’s a Klutch shopper and the Lakers have turn into a haven for different gamers which are represented by the identical company.
Younger placing inner strain on the Hawks to get them to commerce him is actually potential. Additionally, he might scare away potential suitors by making it clear that he would bolt to Los Angeles the primary likelihood he obtained.
All in all, whereas the chances of Younger ending up in Los Angeles could also be low, the Lakers have a protracted historical past of determining methods to land disgruntled stars from different groups. Possibly, simply possibly, they work out a strategy to do it but once more.
