The Lakers are already planning for next season.
Local media outlet The Athletic reported on the Los Angeles Lakers’ plans for next season on Aug. 31 (KST).
According to the report, “The Lakers are still looking for a third superstar to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They are willing to give up Austin Reeves and a first-round pick to acquire a superstar. The name that comes up most often is Trae Young. We’re also interested in Kyrie Irving and Donovan Mitchell,” the report said.
The Lakers currently sit in ninth place in the Western Conference with a 42-33 record. If they finish the season in their current position, the Lakers will be in the play-in tournament instead of directly into the playoffs. It’s a season that could be considered an outright failure for the Lakers.
The Lakers have a solid one-two punch in Davis and James. They are two superstars who are not only strong on offense, but also on defense. With that kind of talent, their current record is a disappointment.
A big reason for the Lakers’ underachievement has been the ups and downs of players other than James and Davis, especially the scoring from the guards.
While Austin Reeves has been relatively consistent throughout the season, he’s not a player who can average 20 points per game every night. D’Angelo Russell was expected to fill that role, but he struggled in the first half. He bounced back in the second half to lead the Lakers to a late-season surge, but he’s not a player you can count on for consistent All-Star caliber production.
The Lakers were rumored to trade for high-scoring guards like Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray throughout the season. However, the trades never materialized, and the Lakers will finish the season with their current roster.
Let’s be honest, the Lakers’ current roster leaves a lot to be desired. That”s why the Lakers are looking to add a superstar. James’ age is also a concern. James is still one of the best players in the NBA, but he’s a veteran in his late 30s. The Lakers need to win a championship while he’s still young.
Young has been consistently rumored to be linked to the Lakers. The franchise star of the Atlanta Hawks and one of the best offensive machines in the NBA, Young has been the subject of trade rumors lately.
That’s because his team, Atlanta, hasn’t been able to get out of its slump. Atlanta has a 34-40 record this season, good for 10th place in the Eastern Conference. They’re in 10th place because they play in the Eastern Conference, which is less competitive than the Western Conference. In the Western Conference, they would be 토토 ranked 12th.
Atlanta also made the playoffs last season via a play-in tournament, but were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics.
This performance is enough for Atlanta’s brass to consider a rebuild. Even without Young, Atlanta has a young core of Murray, Jaylen Johnson, and others. Murray’s performance, especially in Young’s absence, is also a concern.
The question is the trade price. If Atlanta were to put Young on the trade market, there would be no shortage of teams interested in him. The Lakers would put together a trade package centered around Reeves, but it’s hard to imagine that package being competitive with other contenders.
Acquiring Young would be the best option for the Lakers. Young would take some of the offensive load off of James and keep Davis alive.