There is no doubt that there are times we see multi-team trades happen in the league. That sort of arrangement generally occurs when teams need pieces to move around in multiple directions to find a deal that satisfies everyone.
- Lakers Would Land Ben Simmons Who Is A Perfect Fit With LeBron James
- Brooklyn Nets Create A Championship Squad
- Indiana Pacers Go Into Full Rebuild Mode
- This Trade Could Work Out For Everyone Involved
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In this article, we propose a trade scenario that involves the Los Angeles Lakers, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Indiana Pacers. This trade scenario notably involves Russell Westbrook, who would likely have to come off the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers if he were to stay with the franchise. The Lakers notably acquired Dennis Schroder, meaning that the writing is on the wall for that to happen. Without further ado, here is the potential trade.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Ben Simmons
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Myles Turner, Buddy Hield
Indiana Pacers Receive: Russell Westbrook, Seth Curry, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Lakers Would Land Ben Simmons Who Is A Perfect Fit With LeBron James
On a surface level, Ben Simmons and LeBron James seem to overlap in terms of skill set. Both are slashers that drive to the rim to score, and both like to be ballhandlers and playmakers on their teams.
But Ben Simmons could potentially be a good fit with LeBron James. He is a 5-positional defender who is an efficient scorer near the rim, and he is also an unselfish player that doesn’t require a high usage rate to be successful. He could potentially play a complementary role as a cutter and primary perimeter defender when LeBron James is on the court and then hone his playmaking and scoring when put in lineups without the superstar. Simmons would take some of the defensive load off of LeBron James as well, allowing him to focus on offense for the Los Angeles Lakers.
On paper, a big three of Ben Simmons, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis is enough to win a championship. They would be a very defensive-oriented trio, which fits Darvin Ham’s coaching philosophy. Obviously, the Los Angeles Lakers would have to surround the trio of stars with capable 3PT shooters for the team to be good offensively.
It remains to be seen if the Los Angeles Lakers will even end up targeting Ben Simmons in the future. However, adding the three-time All-Star could end up benefitting the team from a talent standpoint, increasing their ceiling as a squad.
Brooklyn Nets Create A Championship Squad
With this move, the Brooklyn Nets would create a championship-level squad. Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are both high-level role players that can contribute to a contending team.
Myles Turner is well-known as a big man that can protect the rim and space the floor, notably leading the league in blocks twice during his career. Buddy Hield is a high-volume 3PT shooter that should be able to seamlessly take over Seth Curry’s role with the Brooklyn Nets.
While the Brooklyn Nets have had a top-heavy squad currently, perhaps moving Ben Simmons would allow them to create a more balanced team. Even though Ben Simmons does provide multi-positional defense, he can’t be the primary rim protector on a team like Myles Turner. He also doesn’t shoot from the perimeter at all, let alone match Buddy Hield’s proficiency from beyond the arc. The top-heavy approach has not worked out for them over the last two years, and perhaps it is time to try something else.
The Brooklyn Nets would be one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference with this move, and with a core of Kevin Durant/Kyrie Irving/Myles Turner/Buddy Hield, they could end up reaching the NBA Finals and face an elite Western Conference team like the Golden State Warriors.
Overall, this move would greatly improve the Brooklyn Nets’ depth around Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. If the goal this upcoming season for the Nets is to win a championship, this deal could help them achieve that goal.
Indiana Pacers Go Into Full Rebuild Mode
This trade would land the Indiana Pacers both Russell Westbrook and Seth Curry, who are both good players. Russell Westbrook is a former MVP, and Seth Curry is an elite shooter, but that is clearly not enough to get the Indiana Pacers into the playoffs.
It is far more likely that the Indiana Pacers are interested in the draft compensation in this deal. With this trade, the Indiana Pacers will receive key draft picks for their rebuild, as the Los Angeles Lakers’ future picks are viewed as the most valuable picks in the league.
The Indiana Pacers are obviously aiming to get a top-5 pick in the draft lottery next season, and it is quite possible that they would move Seth Curry and Russell Westbrook at the trade deadline for further assets if they made this deal. There is also potential for Russell Westbrook to get bought out by the franchise. A buyout would, in theory, allow Russell Westbrook to join a contending team and try to get the championship missing from his resume.
For the Indiana Pacers, this move is simply about clearing Buddy Hield’s contract off their books and ensuring that they don’t let Myles Turner walk in free agency without getting anything in return. This deal accomplishes both those goals, and those picks could be extremely beneficial for the Lakers in the long run.
This Trade Could Work Out For Everyone Involved
Overall, this trade has some positives involved for all sides. The Los Angeles Lakers get a third star next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Brooklyn Nets create a championship-level core, and the Indiana Pacers get some assets to help with their rebuild.
It is unclear if the three teams will end up working out a trade similar to this one in the future. However, this move could help all three teams with their goals, and perhaps we’ll see it happen at some point.
