The Los Angeles Lakers have started the season 2-8, and it is somewhat surprising that the team has not made a move yet. They have two high-value draft picks, that could help them get some impact players to help Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Perhaps the reason for the Los Angeles Lakers’ refusal to make a trade thus far is that they’re waiting on a specific player. A recent report suggested that there is a “mystery player” the team is waiting on to make a move using their two future first-round picks in 2027 and 2029.
“I will add one thing without going into all the detail, but I was canvassing a bunch of front office folks last week when I was workshopping my idea of ‘Can the Nets tear down now? Should they just tear down now? What could they reasonably get for Kevin Durant? Could they get anything for Kyrie Irving? Could they get anything at all for Ben Simmons?’” said Beck. “And in those discussions, when I brought up the Lakers, the pushback I was getting was they’re waiting for a specific player. That they’re not doing the Pacer deal, that they won’t do the Kyrie deal now that we for sure thought they would do a couple months ago, is an indication that the Lakers are waiting for a bigger piece to come loose that they think they can trade Westbrook and the two future firsts for.”
The Los Angeles Lakers obviously have to make the right move with their two first-round picks, as they only have one chance to make a move that will put them into championship contention while LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still on the roster.
Who is that mysterious player the Lakers want to trade for? Let’s break that down a little bit. First, it was said Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons are off the list. Ok, we will not use them in our case to reveal who is the mysterious player. Per the source, it is about a superstar, someone for who are Lakers willing to send two future first-round picks. That means players like Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward, Eric Gordon, D’Angelo Russell, and Gary Trent Jr. are not their targets. They are good players, but if the Lakers don’t want to send picks for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, that means they will not send picks for those other players as well.
Is this player Draymond Green? Even though a lot of Lakers fans would like to see him in the purple and gold jersey, this is not a likely scenario because the Lakers have no reason to send two future picks for a player who is a free agent next season. That means Draymond Green is off the list as well.
Even though people could say it is DeMar DeRozan, that would be a risk for the Lakers, because he is not young anymore. There are a few more superstars that could be options, like Jaylen Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns. But there is no way the Celtics and Timberwolves would trade their stars at this moment.
But, there are a few names that could be on the Lakers list, and we already know who could be the main target for the Lakers but the question is – is this realistic after everything that happened during the summer? Let’s explore and see who could be the mysterious player the Lakers want, using the three most realistic names for this scenario.
3. Zach LaVine
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Zach LaVine
Chicago Bulls Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Zach LaVine is the face of the Chicago Bulls right now, and despite signing an extension, there is a world where the team decides to trade him. If their mediocre start to the season continues, then the team could potentially explore a rebuild. In that rebuild scenario, the Bulls could end up moving their stars for draft compensation and bottoming out to try and get a good pick. Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson headline this year’s draft class, and the Bulls drafting either of them would give them a cornerstone for their franchise. As of right now, Zach LaVine can’t be traded due to him signing a new contract with the Bulls this summer, but he could end up being traded later on in the season.
In terms of playstyle, there’s no doubt that Zach LaVine would be a good fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. His three-level scoring and sharpshooting ability would greatly improve the team’s offense. LaVine would also give the team another go-to option during the clutch time on top of LeBron James. He would be a better fit for the Lakers than Russell Westbrook, simply due to his diverse offensive game and ability to play off-ball.
One of the other benefits of getting Zach LaVine for the Los Angeles Lakers is potentially having both him and Anthony Davis for the long term. That would give the Los Angeles Lakers a duo they can build around once LeBron James retires, and the two stars would serve as a good foundation for a competitive team.
2. Damian Lillard
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Damian Lillard
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Damian Lillard has long been known for his loyalty to the Portland Trail Blazers, and despite his name constantly being in trade rumors. He notably signed an extension with the Portland Trail Blazers this past summer, and thus can’t be traded. He fits the profile of the “mystery player” that the Los Angeles Lakers could potentially be waiting on.
LeBron James has long been an admirer of Damian Lillard, and in 2018, Damian Lillard notably stated that he felt as though he could work well with LeBron James. Perhaps this trade scenario is the perfect way to put Lillard and James on the same team, and give Lillard a legitimate chance of competing for a championship.
In terms of playstyle, Damian Lillard would be the perfect point guard to put next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He can shoot really well from deep, create his own shot, and play well without the ball. Lillard would also lessen the offensive load on LeBron James and Anthony Davis during the regular season. Though Lillard’s defense might be a problem, Anthony Davis being the defensive anchor, and the Los Angeles Lakers being one of the best defensive teams in the league overall should help cover for him on that end of the floor.
For the Trail Blazers, trading Damian Lillard could give them the opportunity to try and tank to get Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson. If the Portland Trail Blazers aren’t competitive by the trade deadline, perhaps they could explore trading the superstar.
There’s no doubt that seeing Damian Lillard win a championship would make a lot of fans happy, as Lillard is a beloved player in the community. Hopefully, he gets the opportunity to do so.
1. Kevin Durant
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Kevin Durant
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Anthony Davis, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Obviously, the Los Angeles Lakers getting Kevin Durant isn’t exactly a realistic option as of right now. The Brooklyn Nets have not indicated that they’re willing to restart trade talks about the superstar thus far, but that could definitely be an option in the future if the team is underachieving ahead of the trade deadline.
To trade for Kevin Durant, a package featuring Russell Westbrook and two valuable first-round picks is definitely not enough. However, if they were to replace Russell Westbrook with Anthony Davis, then that could be enough to get Kevin Durant, as Anthony Davis is still one of the most versatile big men in the league. Though
The reason that the Los Angeles Lakers should absolutely trade for Kevin Durant is simple: it is Kevin Durant. He is the best midrange player in the league and is also a three-level scorer. Kevin Durant and LeBron James would immediately become one of the best duos in the league, and with those two superstars on the roster, the Los Angeles Lakers would definitely have a solid chance of winning a championship.
For the Brooklyn Nets, this trade would be about getting good value for Kevin Durant. They would get an All-Star level player, and two picks likely to be in the lottery in 2027 and 2029.
Though other teams will likely have good packages for Kevin Durant, the hypothetical Los Angeles Lakers package built around Anthony Davis and two first-round picks is certainly quite appealing. Waiting for Kevin Durant to be available could be a risk for the Los Angeles Lakers, but it is one worth taking.
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