The Los Angeles Lakers have shaken up the NBA trade market by making a swing for Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards and giving up 3 second-round picks along with Kendrick Nunn to make it happen.
- The Lakers End The Russell Westbrook Experiment For Complementary Players
- The Raptors Go Ahead With A Re-Tool Instead Of A Rebuild
- The San Antonio Spurs Go Deep Into The Tank
- Why This Trade May Be Ideal For All Teams Involved
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Laker fans are hoping this is the first of many moves for LA, as the team is primed to make a run toward a top-6 seed after this move. However, this doesn’t move the needle for a championship, and the Lakers need to do right by LeBron James and Anthony Davis by giving them an actual contending roster. The recipe for a successful LeBron James team has always been shooting, and the Lakers still lack in that department.
With possible trade talks between the Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs re-opening over Russell Westbrook, this may be the perfect chance for the Lakers to get high value out of their first-round picks. But to make that work, the Lakers need to capitalize on what the Toronto Raptors are doing and get a key shooter that they are looking to move in Gary Trent Jr. This 3-team trade sees the Lakers add shooters for Russ and their picks, with the Raptors using to finally get Jakob Poeltl back.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Gary Trent Jr., Josh Richardson, Doug McDermott
Toronto Raptors Receive: Jakob Poeltl, 2027 First-Round Pick From The Lakers (Lottery-Protected)
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2025 First-Round Pick From The Raptors (Top-5 Protected), 2029 First-Round Pick From The Lakers (Top-10 Protected)
This trade has many moving pieces but works well for each side in a number of ways. Let’s delve into the same now.
The Lakers End The Russell Westbrook Experiment For Complementary Players
The Lakers could move on from trying to make Russell Westbrook work as a sixth man and living with his inconsistent production when it comes to winning time. We have seen Russ win games off his performances, but we’ve also seen him have absolutely rotten nights that cost LA wins. Getting off his contract for a protected first-round pick to the Spurs to acquire a veteran wing in Josh Richardson and a big sniper in Doug McDermott may be the perfect way to do so. Richardson is averaging 36.9% from 3 this season, along with almost 1 steal per game, while McDermott is averaging a lights-out 42.1% from 3 on over 4 attempts a game.
Since Thomas Bryant has made himself an invaluable part of the Lakers’ rotation, they have no interest in Jakob Poeltl. They can add Gary Trent Jr. as a high-value 3-and-D option from the Raptors and give them a lottery-protected pick for the impending free agent. GTJ’s efficiency has been low this season, but he is still converting at 36.7% on nearly 8 attempts a game, averaging 18.7 points and 1.8 steals a game. His disruptive defense, along with his ability to convert open shots (something he hasn’t received often this season), makes him an incredibly intriguing option for LA.
Richardson can provide wing defense in bench lineups with an often-reliable jumper. McDermott can also convert catch-and-shoot opportunities at a high rate. The offensive versatility that these players bring to the existing Lakers roster would be phenomenal. This also gives the Lakers the flexibility to trade Patrick Beverley or make him the backup guard to Dennis Schroder instead of him having to play as a two-guard or a forward.
The Raptors Go Ahead With A Re-Tool Instead Of A Rebuild
Everyone’s waiting to see what the Toronto Raptors do with their stars after a poor start to the season. Gary Trent Jr. is readily on the market for the right price due to him being in the final year of his contract, so flipping that along with a pick to get Jakob Poeltl to solve their center issues might be the best move. The Raptors have been interested in Poeltl for a while and might be willing to give up a pick to get the center on an affordable contract that’ll last for another season. Poeltl is averaging 12.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game this season and is among the most in-demand centers on the market.
Getting a pick back from LA for Trent Jr. subsidizes the cost of sending their own pick to make the trade happen. It would be smart for the Raptors not to give up on All-NBA star Pascal Siakam and defensive standout OG Anunoby, so moving just GTJ and getting Poeltl back can signal a further push to make this core work. Even if they fail to improve their record this season, they can come back next year with a similar-looking core.
The Raptors also have options like Chris Boucher and Thaddeus Young to trade to add further solidity to their shooting guard position in the trade market if they wish to make a push this season. Otherwise, making this move to secure Poeltl on the roster to get into a rhythm for a push next season might be perfectly reasonable for the Raptors.
The San Antonio Spurs Go Deep Into The Tank
The San Antonio Spurs have been among the worst teams in the NBA but possess veterans that could make a difference elsewhere. Instead of finding individual trades to net them second-round picks for Richardson and McDermott, they can take a heavily protected first-rounder from LA and pay Russell Westbrook’s massive contract for half a season as he rehabilitates his value and serves as a leader for an incredibly young Spurs’ squad.
Poeltl is arguably their best trade asset, but it doesn’t look like they will be able to get more than a first-round big for the incredibly useful center, as he isn’t a massive ceiling-raiser. Getting a pick from the Raptors and avoiding taking on a player like Gary Trent Jr. with no intention of contending with him is going to be a win. The Spurs could even release Westbrook into the buyout market if they don’t see eye-to-eye, as getting draft capital will be the primary reason for making a trade like this. Getting 2 first-round picks for this haul would be great, as it also opens up more opportunities for their young players like Devin Vassel, Keldon Johnson, and Jeremy Sochan.
The Spurs are already one of the leading names tanking this season, but they’re being outpaced by teams like the Rockets, Hornets, and Pistons. Making this trade will either allow their young players to thrive and keep their record in a similar position, showing positive progression that will excite the team in the future, or help them tank to the bottom and maximize their chances at the first overall pick.
Why This Trade May Be Ideal For All Teams Involved
The Lakers may be holding on to their picks due to uncertainty of the future, but they’re bound to realize they can contend only on borrowed time. Whatever player they may draft in 2027 or 2029 can’t be compared to the real-life production that LeBron James is giving them at the moment. The last time we saw Anthony Davis healthy, he was looking like an MVP candidate. The Lakers owe it to their fanbase and their star duo to do everything possible to get them a roster that can make a deep run in the playoffs, not just barely make it in.
The Raptors are looking to make a move to acquire Poeltl, and doing it in this framework allows them to replace the pick they’ll have to give up by getting a first from LA for Gary Trent Jr. They have a lot more moves to think about given the possible trade statuses of Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, and Fred VanVleet, but GTJ is the asset that they can most easily move off first, given the lack of mutual interest in extending his stay in Toronto beyond this season.
The Spurs not only can create more opportunities for their young players, but they can also provide a space where Russell Westbrook can rehabilitate his value without the pressure he’s been under in his last few stops. He is a veteran leader for the young Spurs and could be valuable in helping their development. If he doesn’t fit into Pop’s plans, the Spurs will have gotten 2 picks for veteran players that don’t fit their current timeline. Westbrook being bought out may hurt his personal status but allows him to carefully pick his next spot and hope to provide to a contending team.
This may be the trade that fulfills what all 3 teams need, so they should look at opportunities like this to get to where they want their franchises to go next.
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