The Los Angeles Lakers made their desire to add another big man to the roster clear earlier this summer, with new head coach JJ Redick confirming the same in an interview. The team pursued Jonas Valunciunas but were outbid for him by the Washington Wizards. The Wizards will likely be tanking in the 2024-25 season, so a veteran like Valunciunas could still be acquired via trade, with the Lakers still interested in adding him to the roster.
The Lakers also have a hole in their lineup when it comes to POA defenders, especially at the guard spot. Outside the injury-riddled Jarred Vanderbilt, the Lakers don’t have a reliable perimeter defender with their guards being offensive specialists. With Max Christie expected to take on a bigger role to allay those defensive concerns, the Lakers could expand a potential deal for Valunciunas by also acquiring an ideal fit from the Raptors.
Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jonas Valanciunas, Davion Mitchell
Toronto Raptors Receive: Gabe Vincent, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jaxson Hayes
Washington Wizards Receive: Chris Boucher, 2025 Second-Round Pick (LAL), 2027 Second-Round Pick (LAL)
This deal allows the Raptors to get some young talent while the Wizards get off Valanciunas for two second-round picks for less than a few months of service. Valanciunas’ recently signed exception expired on September 4, so the Lakers could do this deal before the season even starts.
The Lakers Fix Their Two Biggest Flaws
This move lets the Lakers solve two sore spots in their rotation last season, as Anthony Davis was being overly relied upon to perform solid center minutes and the team had a lack of perimeter defense to supplement Davis’ excellent interior protection. A trade like this would further consolidate the Lakers building around Davis’ strengths instead of LeBron James, as Davis has made it clear that he would love for the Lakers to add another big man.
Valanciunas averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists with the Pelicans last season. He wasn’t the interior defensive presence the Pelicans needed him to be, a problem that is fixed in LA by the presence of Davis. What Val provides is someone who can handle a lot more of the bruising than what’s fallen on Davis’ lap the last three seasons.
Davion Mitchell averaged 5.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.9 assists last season. While his offensive game has been really rough, the Lakers could use him to revitalize their defense. Mitchell’s defensive value has been evident since he was a rookie in the NBA, but his offensive pitfalls stop him from playing big minutes consistently. The Lakers have guards like D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Max Christie ahead of Davion, so he’d be a great addition to the rotation for defense-first lineups.
The Raptors Acquire Assets For Low-Value Players
The Raptors don’t make a major swing upwards with this deal, though their guard rotation already doesn’t have space for a player like Mitchell. The team is already strong defensively and needs more offensive production from their point guard, which is why Immanuel Quickley got a massive contract from the franchise this summer. Instead of keeping Mitchell as an expiring contract who has no future, they can acquire a former first-round pick with a high ceiling.
Jalen Hood-Schifino is a talented combo guard who hasn’t been able to break into the Lakers rotation because he was a high-potential prospect who couldn’t produce for a Playoff team like the Lakers. The Raptors have the space to develop him as a backup guard to Quickley, with his size and defensive ability providing versatility to a young guard rotation.
Gabe Vincent had an injury-riddled year for the Lakers last season but could be useful for the Raptors as a veteran guard in their rotation. Jaxson Hayes averaged 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds last season and is a shot-blocking center who can mimic the rim-protecting capabilities of starting center Jakob Poeltl but won’t be a pronounced offensive contributor.
The Wizards Turn Valanciunas Into Draft Assets
The Wizards outbidding the Lakers for Valanciunas’ signature in the offseason was an interesting move that many experts couldn’t explain. Outside being a veteran presence, Valanciunas is not a foundational piece and the Wizards seem to be clearly tanking after dumping Deni Avdija to the Blazers this summer as well. Unless Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma take All-Star leaps, the Wizards will be stuck at the end of the East for another season.
Big men like Marvin Bagley III, Richaun Holmes, and the No. 2 pick in the 2024 Draft Alexandre Sarr are already fighting for minutes, so keeping Valanciunas around is hard to justify. Getting a valuable 2025 second-round pick from the Lakers along with another future second-round pick would be a solid return for a player the Wizards simply signed into cap space this summer.
Chris Boucher averaged 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds last season for the Raptors, functioning as a solid veteran big man. He is a returning expiring salary for the Wizards, who can go into another offseason with cap space to sign a veteran with the express purpose of slipping him to a contending team for assets.
A Deal To Help The Lakers Compete In A Cutthroat West
The Lakers don’t have enough to surpass teams like the Mavericks, Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Thunder in the West. Even teams like the Suns, Pelicans, Kings, and Warriors have made more moves this summer than the Lakers, putting them back in play-in territory for the third season in a row. Adding Valanciunas and Mitchell doesn’t seem like a major move but would be a very productive trade for the Lakers.
The Wizards and Raptors don’t seem to have win-now intentions and both walk away with solid assets that could turn into something better. The Raptors can try and earth the potential of Hood-Schifino while the Wizards give their own players more space to grow in the frontcourt with outside shots at drafting a team-changing player in the second round.
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