The Lakers should thank the basketball gods as the silver lining of LeBron James’ injury turbocharged Luka Doncic’s and Austin Reaves’ breakout to gave the Lakers the perfect blueprint for winning the NBA championship.
That blueprint is to stagger the Lakers’ talented young point guards Doncic and Reaves so the ball’s in one of their hands all 48 minutes of each game and frees a well-rested high IQ James to be their off-ball jack-of-all-trades. With Luka’s and Austin’s elite shot-making and playmaking on the ball and LeBron’s savvy picking, rolling, cutting, rebounding, and posting up off the ball, the Big Three should transform the Lakers’ offense into a juggernaut.
Despite injuries plaguing lineups and rotations, the Lakers’ defense also showed promising signs, especially from Marcus Smart, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Jake LaRavia plus steady play from Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton.
The Lakers still need LeBron James, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, and Adou Thiero back from injury. They must also swap $30-$40 million in expiring contracts for players who’ll be under contract and tradable next summer.
Before the start of the season, the Lakers were believed to be a starting small forward and backup center away from being a championship contender. The ascension of Doncic and Reaves has changed that.
While they still need a starting small forward and backup center, Luka’s and Austin’s breakouts have already transformed this Lakers team into a championship contender, although still a tier below the OKC Thunder.
The goal now is to win games, hone the offense and defense, develop team chemistry, and figure out what they’re missing that LeBron James and the other injured can’t answer, and who and for whom do they want to trade.
WHOM ARE LAKERS LIKELY TO TRADE?
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Right now, the three players most likely to be traded by the Lakers are Rui Hachimura ($18.2M), Gabe Vincent ($11.5M), and Maxi Kleber ($11.0M), who are on expiring contracts and together earn $40 million per year.
Right now, the Lakers have 14 players under contract and are $1.1 million below the first apron, which means they won’t be able to sign a 15th player until after January 18th, when they could fit a prorated minimum salary.
Since they’re so close to the first apron, the Lakers need to trade three players earning $40 million per year for two players earning $35 million before the deadline to open up cap space to fill the two open roster spots.
Strategically, breakouts by Luka and Austin without LeBron should push the Lakers to go-all in to win the championship this season as it may be their best opportunity in the next decade versus the Thunder and Spurs.
Watching Luka play like an MVP and Austin like an All-Star should also put an end to any doubts LeBron may have had about the Lakers being able to compete for a championship this season. Look for James to return soon.
The big question facing the Lakers right now is whether to use their one tradable draft pick before the trade deadline or wait until next summer when they would be able to offer three first round picks on draft day?
With Doncic and Reaves taking their games to new levels, the Lakers may already have their second superstar and should not hesitate to trade their pick for the right player(s) who would fit their championship blueprint.
Look for the Lakers to trade Hachimura, Vincent, Kleber, their 2031 first round pick, and their 2033 second round pick for an elite 3&D starting small forward and backup center who can protect rim or stretch floor.
WHOM SHOULD LAKERS TRADE FOR?
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The early season ascensions of Doncic and Reaves doesn’t change the Lakers’ core need for an elite 3&D starting small forward or impact backup center but it could lower the bar for what the team needs from the trade.
What if the Lakers could fill their starting small forward and backup center needs without having to give up Rui Hachimura? What if they could fill the backup center need with a combination of Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber?
With LeBron primarily playing off the ball this season, one idea the Lakers should pursue is James as the team’s backup stretch five center. Luka and Austin running pick-and-rolls with LeBron as the center would be lethal.
While the Lakers may decide to improvise when it comes to backup center, they clearly have a major need for an elite 3&D bigger wing who could start at small forward and defend the bigger wing and guard scorers in the West.
The top three trade candidates to fill the Lakers’ need for an elite 3&D starting small forward who can be a lockdown defender are the Heat’s Andrew Wiggins, the Suns’ Dillon Brooks, and the Pelicans’ Herb Jones.
Wiggins earns $27.2 million, Brooks $21.1 million, and Jones $13.9 million so Lakers could trade Hachimura and Vincent or Kleber for Wiggins, or Vincent and Kleber for Brooks, or Vincent or Kleber and Knecht for Jones.
Trading for Wiggins would probably also cost the Lakers their one tradable first round draft pick while they might be able to get Brooks for a second. Jones could cost more than the Lakers first and second round picks.
Look for the Los Angeles Lakers to trade for Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and their 2032 second round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Dillons Brooks to be their starting small forward with Jaxson Hayes as their backup center.
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