With just two days to go before the NBA’s trade deadline, momentum is slowly building for a Trae Young arrival in Los Angeles. According to the latest betting odds from BetOnline, the Lakers are +300 for Trae Young and currently hold the best odds of landing him in a potential exit from Atlanta.
The Lakers are first at +300, followed by the Bulls at +400, the Mavericks at +500, the Pelicans at +600, and the San Antonio Spurs at +700. Young, 25, was the 5th overall pick in 2018 and was just named an All-Star for the third time in his career. This season has been turbulent for the Hawks, but Trae has been holding his own offensively with averages of 27.3 points, 10.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on 43.5% shooting.
Overall, while Trae may not be on the same level as others in his draft class (Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) he’s still a high-impact player and one of the best point guards in the game right now. Sadly, after several failed stints with the Hawks, his tenure has grown increasingly doubtful and there are rumblings that he may finally be on the trade block this season. One way or another, we will find out before too long how Young fits into Atlanta’s long-term plans but he’d be a God-send for a Lakers team that desperately needs scoring, playmaking, and consistent production to ease the burden from LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Los Angeles Lakers Have A Point Guard Problem
After acquiring D’Angelo Russell last season, the Lakers learned to appreciate the shooting and spacing he provided, especially in comparison to Russell Westbrook. Between his arrival and the breakout performance of Austin Reaves, the Lakers powered a Cinderella run to the Conference Finals that left them confident about their chances to win this season. Instead, the supporting cast, Russell and Reaves specifically, have been inconsistent all season long with streaky shooting and a compromised level of focus on the court. The Lakers are now just two games above .500 and headed for another dogfight in the play-in tournament.
As a direct response, GM Rob Pelinka has been sending signals that changes could be on the way and nobody outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis is truly safe from a potential move. According to recent reports, the Lakers’ primary focus has been on upgrading the backcourt, and names like Alex Caruso and Dejounte Murray have emerged frequently in recent weeks. Only time will tell what the Lakers decide, but Trae Young is somebody who could really move the needle for them.
LeBron James Can Bring The Most Out Of Trae Young
It’s no secret that King James harbors immense respect for Trae as both a player and a man. As recently as February 3rd he spoke on Trae and defended his legacy after being snubbed from the All-Star rosters (before being added later as an injury replacement). In the past, LeBron has always spoken highly of the point guard, and once even dubbed him as one of the game’s top young stars. For James, though, the chance to team with young is more than joining forces with a talented shooter.
For LeBron and the Lakers, adding Trae to the team has the chance to jumpstart their title pursuit and revive their dreams of closing this era with the ultimate victory: an NBA championship. For now, it remains to be seen if any team can pry him from the grasp of Atlanta but the Lakers are one team that will be monitoring the situation through this season and possibly into the summer.
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