LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers have captured the NBA title in 2020. Marking the 17th NBA Championship by the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, this was a great year for Lakers Nation. It was also a great year for LeBron James, who overcame the adversity of off-court distractions and nation police brutality to capture his 4th Finals MVP.
In many ways, the Lakers were expected to win the NBA title when teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers shockingly crashed out of the Playoffs. But LeBron and company got it done, marking a great year for Los Angeles sports. But the Lakers are not done yet. In fact, they might be in a prime position to win back to back titles if they can make a move for a third All-Star.
Considering how teams like the Bucks, Clippers, and Heat are returning with renewed energy next season; the Lakers should not settle for this current roster. By offering the likes of Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Avery Bradley, and Quinn Cook the Lakers are primed for a massive trade deal in the summer.
Here are the 5 players that the Lakers can acquire to capture back to back NBA titles.
5. Zach LaVine
A career year for Zach LaVine has a lot of teams on alert. He is a big-time player because he has shown the ability to lead his team in scoring spectacularly, using athleticism and offensive prowess to his advantage. LaVine is a knockdown shooter from deep, can attack the rim with reckless abandon, and is a fan favorite dunker.
His style of play suits Los Angeles greatly, and he will be a very valuable piece to the Lakers if they can acquire him. Kyle Kuzma has not been the third option the Lakers expected, and veteran Rajon Rondo has actually been that guy in the Playoffs. Kuzma is a good piece for Chicago to build around because he isn’t fit for the Lakers right now while LaVine’s scoring will certainly help the Lakers repeat next year.
4. C.J. McCollum
McCollum is known as the high-scoring sidekick to Damian Lillard but he should be known for more than that. The man is a professional scorer and one of the most consistent offensive players in the league. With C.J, you know you are getting 20 points at the minimum every night. The Lakers obviously have Anthony Davis and LeBron James on offense, but McCollum adds a third piece that puts the Lakers ahead of the pack for sure.
C.J. will have more success with the Lakers than the Blazers because he will have two superstars alongside him to free him up more. Damian Lillard is a superstar, but he shares the backcourt with McCollum and therefore stifles him a bit. LeBron is the best passer in the game while AD controls the paint so McCollum will flourish greatly with LA.
3. Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell, the Utah Jazz superstar, is a must-get for the Lakers. He is a bonafide stud on offense and also has leadership capabilities. He was dominant in the playoffs this season and he is clearly on the rise to superstardom. Mitchell with the Los Angeles Lakers will be unfair because the Lakers have a squad to compete now and in the future.
Donovan Mitchell had a great season this year averaging 24.0 PPG, and he would be easily the best 3rd option in the NBA. The Lakers would have 3 leaders on the court and also a guy who will lead the Lakers franchise alongside Anthony Davis once LeBron James finally hangs it up. If the Jazz must get rid of Mitchell due to a trade request, a return of Kyle Kuzma and a host of defenders will do the franchise good as they rebuild alongside Rudy Gobert.
2. Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook with the Los Angeles Lakers would just be unfair. He is still a top-5 point guard in the NBA and pushes the pace more than any player in the league. Russ had a very disappointing postseason run with the Rockets this season, mainly because he suffered a frustrating thigh injury before the playoffs started. We saw flashes of dominant Russ in Game 1 against the Lakers, as he dropped 24 points and 9 rebounds in a victory.
Westbrook alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis is the most talented Big Three in the league, and no one could really stop them. For the Rockets, they must look to offload Russ because he is not enough to help the Rockets win with James Harden. The Rockets getting a host of 3-and-D players such as KCP, Green, and Caruso with Kyle Kuzma (who shoots better than Westbrook from deep) is a great haul.
1. Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal is the best option for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is the best available shooting guard in the NBA, which is the position the Lakers would love to improve. Danny Green and KCP are not good enough long-term to be the answer at the shooting guard spot as LeBron James ages. He needs a better SG to relieve pressure off him, and Bradley Beal does just that. AD and Beal is the best supporting case LeBron will have ever had, and it should result in a Lakers championship.
Beal averaged 30.5 PPG this season, clearly higher than both LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Beal can be the spot-up shooter the Lakers desperately crave, and he will absolutely not go through shooting lulls as Danny Green did throughout the postseason. The Wizards would rather not lose Beal for nothing if he requests an untimely trade, so Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, Quinn Cook, Avery Bradley (player option) and Alex Caruso would be a nice return to pair with John Wall in the backcourt.
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