The Los Angeles Lakers aren’t waiting around. After a turbulent but promising 2024-25 season that saw them acquire Luka Doncic at the trade deadline and cement Austin Reaves as a reliable third option, the franchise is fully committed to chasing one last championship in the LeBron James era.
The Lakers will likely go out in the first round of the 2025 Playoffs as they trail the Minnesota Timberwolves 3-1, meaning the time to go all-in has never been sooner with LeBron not getting any younger at 40 years old.
But with the Western Conference more loaded than ever and the current core falling just short in the playoffs, L.A. may be eyeing one final piece to push them over the top. Enter Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr., whose recent first-round sweep at the hands of the upstart Thunder (following a surprising dismissal of Taylor Jenkins) could signal the end of an era in Memphis.
If the Grizzlies are open to retooling around Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, a blockbuster deal sending Jackson to Los Angeles could be mutually beneficial, and potentially deadly for the rest of the NBA.
Proposed Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jaren Jackson Jr.
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, 2031 First-Round Pick, 2026 First-Round Pick Swap
Lakers Create a Big Four As The Team To Beat In The West
The Los Angeles Lakers already shocked the league once this season by pulling off the trade of the year: landing Luka Doncic at the deadline to form a superstar trio with LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
Doncic has been spectacular in purple and gold, averaging 28.2 points, 7.5 assists, and 8.1 rebounds since the trade, but even his brilliance wasn’t enough to save L.A. from a likely first-round exit against the top-seeded Timberwolves.
Adding Jaren Jackson Jr. into this mix, though? That’s a game-changer. Jackson, who averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game this season, would give L.A. a defensive anchor and stretch big who fits perfectly alongside LeBron’s playmaking, Luka’s scoring, and Reaves’ outside presence.
More importantly, Jackson’s arrival would allow the Lakers to stagger their stars’ minutes and reduce the wear and tear on their aging core. Jackson shot 37.5% from three this year, making him an ideal pick-and-pop partner for Doncic and a floor-spacer who would open up driving lanes for LeBron and Reaves.
Defensively, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year can switch across positions and protect the rim, a glaring need exposed in their playoff series against Minnesota’s towering frontcourt. A Big Four of Luka, LeBron, Reaves, and JJJ would arguably make the Lakers the most talented team in the conference on paper.
If GM Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office want to squeeze every last title run out of LeBron’s final years, this is the kind of swing they need to take. The Western Conference is stacked with young powerhouses like Oklahoma City and Minnesota, but this potential superteam could reset the balance.
Grizzlies Start Their Rebuild After A Difficult Season
For the Memphis Grizzlies, this deal would mark the official pivot from the gritty “Grit and Grind 2.0” era into a modern retooling around Desmond Bane and possibly Ja Morant, if he isn’t traded soon.
Memphis got swept out of the first round by the Thunder, and insiders suggest the front office is ready to make hard decisions about the roster’s future.
Trading Jackson, while painful, would free up the Grizz to retool with younger, versatile pieces. In return, they get Rui Hachimura, a solid 13.1 points per game scorer this season with size and shooting at the forward spot, and Dalton Knecht, the sharpshooting rookie who’s flashed promise as a movement shooter (37.6% 3-PT FG).
More importantly, the Lakers’ 2031 first-round pick and 2026 swap give Memphis long-term assets to work with as they plan their next era.
After this season’s 11th-place finish and early playoff exit, it’s clear that the current build around Ja, Bane, and JJJ has hit its ceiling. This trade lets them reset the timeline while still remaining competitive in the short term.
With Bane blossoming into a legitimate two-way star (averaging 19.2 points and 5.3 assists this year), Memphis could rebuild around a faster, more perimeter-oriented offense. Hachimura and Knecht add wing depth they desperately lacked, and the picks give them flexibility to make future moves.
A Blockbuster Trade Idea That Brings Back Showtime Lakers Basketball
Let’s be clear: this is the kind of blockbuster move that would instantly inject life back into Lakerland. This season was supposed to be the coronation of the Luka-LeBron-Reaves trio, but potentially falling short in Round 1 has exposed the need for more depth, defense, and two-way versatility.
Jaren Jackson Jr. checks every one of those boxes while still being young enough (25 years old) to extend the Lakers’ competitive window beyond LeBron’s inevitable retirement. For fans and the franchise alike, this trade will be about setting up the next five years of relevancy, along with being a win-now move.
After seeing rivals like the Timberwolves and Thunder surge ahead this year, the Lakers would be sending a message that they’re not fading quietly into the background; they’re going big, once again. If L.A. is serious about winning another banner while No. 23 is still around, this is the kind of aggressive, headline-grabbing move that makes sense.
