The Los Angeles Lakers might have gotten away with the heist of the century when they landed Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and one first-round pick. Not only have they given LeBron James a reason to feel rejuvenated with an elite on-ball option, it has also extended the team’s timeline while allowing them to retain assets to build out their future contending core.
The Lakers roster is far from complete, failing to add a center in the winter after the rescinded trade for Mark Williams. They’re bound to address the position of need in the summer in what could be a final crack at winning another title with LeBron as an All-NBA caliber player. To ensure a seamless fit, the Lakers could ring the Dallas Mavericks phone for a center guaranteed to succeed with Doncic.
Bleacher Report suggests that the Lakers finally part with Austin Reaves, but land two rotational players like Daniel Gafford and Klay Thompson.
Trade Details
Dallas Mavericks Receive: G Austin Reaves, F Jarred Vanderbilt
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G/F Klay Thompson, C Daniel Gafford
This is a fascinating deal, although it’s hard to argue the Lakers are giving up more value here. Reaves, as an on-ball creator, is an extremely valuable asset on a cost-controlled contract, but he’d fit the Mavericks’ needs perfectly while bringing back a similarly perfect-fitting center to maximize Doncic.
Mavericks Land Much Better Value Than They Give Up
Even though this trade works for the Lakers, the Mavericks definitely get more bang for their buck in this trade. It starts with Austin Reaves, who’s shown the ability to shoulder No. 1 option responsibilities when required for the Lakers.
He’d be the perfect combo guard to lead the Mavericks next season as they wait for Kyrie Irving to heal up, with Reaves averaging 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.9 assists this season.
A multi-positional switchable defender like Jarred Vanderbilt fits the Mavericks’ defensive ethos perfectly, giving them a competent frontcourt backup for both Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II in Gafford’s absence going forward. He’s more defensively versatile than Gafford but can’t replicate his offensive efficiency, but if the Mavericks hope Lively continues developing, they’ll be okay with this trade-off.
Klay Thompson’s contract lasts for two more seasons but could wind up being less-than-ideal for the Mavericks at its $15 million average price. The franchise does want cost-controlled long-term deals, so acquiring Jarred Vanderbilt, who has $48 million and four years on his contract, makes sense. Reaves has $41 million and three years remaining, so these contracts fit the franchise like a glove.
Landing Reaves on the market could likely only happen if the returning player is a star or if the deal involves multiple draft assets. Instead, the Mavericks hope filling two perfect needs for the Lakers does the trick to get this deal done.
Lakers Add Perfect Role-Players
A shooter and a center might be exactly what the Lakers need going forward. They’ve built out a decent guard rotation with Doncic at the helm and LeBron inevitably running extended stretches as the primary on-ball option. This has allowed Gabe Vincent to recently thrive as he’s gotten better looks with Doncic and is a terrific defensive contributor in that role.
Klay Thompson is averaging 14.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, adding an offensive spark in the backcourt alongside Vincent’s defense behind Doncic’s on-ball wizardry. Dalton Knecht would land a terrific mentor as well, with the two making the Lakers’ perimeter offense a major threat with two perfect corner passers like Doncic and LeBron.
The Lakers have gotten more out of Jaxson Hayes in a month alongside Luka Doncic than they had in the two years preceding Doncic’s acquisition. The same happened with Gafford on the Mavericks last season, so it’s a safe bet to expect Gafford to have a similarly positive impact on the Lakers as he did on the Mavs. He’s averaging 12.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks this season.
Losing Reaves is a big blow, but landing high-quality role-players like Gafford and Thompson is exactly what they need. The Reaves-LeBron-Doncic trio has been effective but might be overkill for the Playoffs or sustained success, with Gafford and Klay making it a more complete roster.
Nico Harrison Saves Face
Many people will have their forks out for Nico Harrison until the end of his time as the Mavericks GM, but this could be a deal that allows him to temporarily save face. It helps the Mavericks be legitimate contenders in the short-term even with Kyrie’s ACL tear. It won’t guarantee success but it’ll be a decent sign of hope for a franchise that has had none over the last 45 days.
The Lakers do get the short end of the stick in terms of value due to Gafford’s one-dimensional skill set and Klay’s potential decline, but even those additions could enhance the franchise enough for a championship push as compared to Reaves adding a lot of what Doncic and LeBron will already bring to the team’s offense.
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