Lakers are apparently looking to add a big name through trade.
The Los Angeles Lakers did not make a significant in-season trade this year, but that is not stopped them from attempting to get a head start on something this offseason. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers are still “third star-hunting” and are actively considering potential offseason acquisitions. Buha identified Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young as the “most realistic” option, noting that such a deal would almost certainly require the Lakers to give up Austin Reaves.
Interestingly, the Lakers targeted another Hawks guard earlier this year, but nothing came of it. However, the younger generation may be more likely to be shifted in the future. Even with Young on the roster, the Hawks have struggled to create an impression, prompting speculation that the talented guard could be traded this winter. Young would be an expensive addition to the Lakers’ roster. In addition to the players and picks they would have to give up to get him, he inked a 5-year, $215 million maximum deal in 2021 that will go until at least 2025-26.
Young continues to put up massive numbers, averaging 26.4 points per game this season. His long-range shooting skills would give the Lakers something they don’t already have, but one wonders how things would work with another ball-dominant player in the mix.
