The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t had much room to make changes to their roster offseason, adding rookie Dalton Knecht and Bronny James alongside two-way signings like Christian Koloko. The main roster is relatively unchanged outside Taurean Prince’s departure, with new head coach JJ Redick sure that he can extract value from these Lakers as currently constructed.
Extracting value could lead to a few more wins and a potential 50-win season, but it won’t transform them into championship contenders. To enter the contenders’ race, the Lakers need to add another high-level reliable wing, a big, and a lockdown POA defender. They could fulfill all three of these major needs in one trade, provided they can get the Portland Trail Blazers to agree to a trade like this.
Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jerami Grant, Robert Williams, Matisse Thybulle
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Max Christie, Gabe Vincent, 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAL)
The Lakers might scoff at the price of including a young swingman like Christie along with the picks but it might be the best way to maximize value in a deal where they acquire three players who are inarguably better at the moment. Grant is a premier NBA wing, Williams is a fantastic defensive center if he can stay healthy, and Thybulle is a former All-Defense perimeter defender.
The Lakers Revitalize Their Roster In One Move
The Lakers need to find a way to make their roster more sensible to compete in the modern NBA. The lack of defense provided by a backcourt with both D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves forces players like Rui Hachimura and Anthony Davis to take on a heavier defensive burden than usual, which is especially troubling given Hachimura’s defensive shortcomings as well. Alongside LeBron James, this starting five will be plagued by defensive issues outside of what Davis can single-handedly provide.
Jerami Grant is a two-way forward who can bolster their defense while also being able to shoulder offensive responsibilities. He averaged 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season. The Lakers have been searching for a center all summer long, with Robert Williams being an ideal fit next to Davis. Williams is a hard-nosed rebounded and rim protector who averaged 6.8 points and 6.3 rebounds last season. There are real injury concerns around him but this is still a worthwhile acquisition.
Matisse Thybulle might be the least relevant addition, but his ability to be one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA would instantly help the Lakers add another archetype of player their team lacks. Thybulle’s offense isn’t good enough to warrant a starting spot but he’d be a terror defensively against the star guards in the West in whatever spot minutes he gets. He averaged 5.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals last season.
Losing Christie is bad from a long-term perspective, but all these players would be marked improvements on what the Lakers have right now. It makes their roster more compatible while reinforcing their versatility and depth.
The Trail Blazers Add Multiple Assets To Streamline Their Roster
The Trail Blazers don’t need veteran players like Grant, Williams, or Thybulle to add to their competitive hopes this season. They’re well-placed to finish at the bottom of the West already but need to outpace teams in the East if they wanna maximize their 2025 NBA Draft Lottery chances. Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe already look destined for big roles this season to aid their development and this move further opens that door up for them.
D’Angelo Russell comes onto the team as an $18.6 million expiring contract who averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists last season. The Blazers could find solid value for Russell in another deal sending him to a contending roster looking for an offensive spark, especially with Russell shooting 41.5% from three last season. He could stay on as a mentor for players like Scoot before hitting free agency next season, though that might hurt his chances of another big-money contract.
Hachimura averaged 13.6 points and 4.3 rebounds last season, with the veteran wing having two years left on his contract. He joins the Blazers in a position where they don’t have many options, so he could stay on the team through this season before having greater value as an expiring contract next season. Vincent would also likely be retained in a mentorship role before Portland can flip him to someone else.
Alongside the 2029 first-round pick, arguably the most valuable available trade asset in the NBA right now, Max Christie would be a great get for the Blazers. He’s a versatile swingman who’s shown flashes of being a strong defender with a developing offensive game. He averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in limited minutes last season but has a clear ceiling that the Blazers could help him reach through development.
The Lakers Can’t Pass This Deal Up
Rob Pelinka made it clear that the Lakers won’t trade their remaining first-round picks for a player who won’t be a difference-maker. Getting three rotational players and one potential borderline All-Star might not be the difference they’re hoping for, but they need to recognize the positive value in this trade compared to what they have on their roster right now.
This gives the Lakers three positive defenders, with one player who averaged 20 points last season. It might not be like-for-like upgrades on the outgoing players but it makes their roster make a lot more sense. This gives them a good balance of offense and defense while still having LeBron James conducting the show offensively and Anthony Davis protecting them defensively.
The Blazers would get a solid return for this deal, given the individual values of Grant, Williams, and Thybulle have been low due to Grant’s contract, Williams’ injury history, and Thybulle’s offensive limitations. Packaging them together in a deal like this brings them the best return they could get in this situation, opening up space for their younger stars.
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