Lakers Post NBA Cup Triumph: Pursuit of Trade Targets Raises Questions

Following their triumph in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers basked in celebration as they clinched the NBA Cup with a decisive 123-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Las Vegas. However, the euphoria from the tournament win has been short-lived, as the Lakers subsequently experienced a downturn, dropping six of their last eight games.

While four of these losses occurred on the road, concerns have emerged about the team’s recent performance. The Lakers, a franchise accustomed to high expectations, face scrutiny, reminiscent of last season’s pre-trade deadline anxieties. Notably, General Manager Rob Pelinka’s bold moves ahead of the previous deadline propelled the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals.

As the 2024 trade deadline looms approximately six weeks away, trade rumors have surfaced, linking the Lakers to All-Star talents Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls and Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks. The Lakers, currently ranking 24th in team offense, seek additional firepower to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis, alleviating pressure on their star duo.

Both LaVine and Murray, represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, are notable names circulating in trade discussions. The Lakers, perennially active in the trade market, face the question of whether they possess the assets and resources to pursue either star. The impending trade deadline adds an element of anticipation to the Lakers’ trajectory as they aim to address current challenges and solidify their standing in the Western Conference.

Zach LaVine’s most recent news

Zach LaVine agreed to terms with the Bulls as an unrestricted free agent in 2022 on a five-year, $215 million contract. Some in the NBA were surprised by this choice, especially because the star’s grievances in Chicago had been well-documented over the years. Nonetheless, LaVine chose to stay with the Bulls since they could offer him the most money and he could also work out a trade with the team later.

It appears that the moment has come for a trade. Not only has the team spoken with LaVine and his agent about exploring alternative possibilities, but the Bulls have performed admirably without LaVine on the court. Chicago’s attack has looked more confident and comfortable without the two-time All-Star this season (9-4 since he went down with a long-term foot injury). With LaVine out, Coby White has put together some of his best games of his career.

All indications point to the Bulls trading LaVine before the trade deadline this season. He provides the Lakers with a third star to play through on offense, one who can take responsibility for launching the offense and thrive in any capacity required. While DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are not the same as LeBron and Davis, LaVine’s familiarity with another star big man and primary ball handler makes him a fascinating trade candidate for Los Angeles.

LaVine is everything the Lakers are lacking in terms of skill at this juncture in the season. LaVine can shoot from the outside, score off the dribble, and adds a level of explosiveness to this club that it does not appear to have right now. He is a significant red flag for the Lakers in terms of contract and what the Bulls star is owed heading forward.

LaVine is projected to earn $3 million more every year until the 2026-27 season, a year in which he has a player option worth roughly $49 million. This would be an extremely difficult contract for the Lakers to take on, especially with Davis on the books for nearly $200 million from 2025-26 to 2027-28.

The Lakers aim to boost their title chances before the trade deadline. Having said that, league insiders tell ClutchPoints that Los Angeles would prefer to maintain a measure of financial flexibility moving forward, given the uncertainty surrounding LeBron’s future after this season. James, who has indicated a desire to play in the NBA with his kid, has the opportunity to opt out of his $51 million player option for next season. Tying oneself to LaVine’s enormous contract worth more than $40 million per year for the next four years would not be conducive to handling scenarios in which James would leave Los Angeles.

If the Lakers traded for LaVine, they would be committed to him for multiple seasons without doubt. Los Angeles would be unable to trade LaVine for other assets, like it did with Russell Westbrook last season, and he would be the team’s third-best player after Davis and James. For his asking price, the Lakers must consider whether investing this much money in a third star is truly worthwhile, especially when that money might be spent on vital secondary players to complete out their team.

The Bulls are also not going to trade LaVine for the sake of trading him. To make a deal beneficial for the Bulls, many draft picks and impact players would have to be involved, which means the Lakers would almost certainly have to part ways with their remaining first-round draft capital. From Chicago’s perspective, Austin Reaves’ name is also likely to come up in these discussions. The league believes that Reaves is untouchable in trade talks, which complicates everything surrounding LaVine to the Lakers speculations even further.

Rumors of a Dejounte Murray move

Whereas LaVine trade speculations have been prevalent since the start of the season, Dejounte Murray is a newcomer to the trade market. Murray has been a member of the Hawks since the beginning of the 2022-23 season. While he has played his position as a two-way combo guard who can be the Hawks’ second-best scorer alongside Trae Young, the Hawks have yet to prove they can be true Eastern Conference threats. Atlanta, which is currently six games under.500 on the season, appears to be open to considering all of their alternatives over the next six weeks.

Murray’s name has recently surfaced in connection with the New York Knicks, who could use another star guard to complement soon-to-be All-Star Jalen Brunson. The Knicks are interested in Murray, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and SNY’s Ian Begley, though the Klutch Sports element could be an impediment.

The Lakers’ name is now being mentioned when the Hawks’ star is talked, as it is with every other great that has been traded. In comparison to LaVine and his large contract, Murray has a four-year, $114 million agreement that will begin with the start of the 2024-25 season. That’s less than LaVine will earn in the next three seasons combined.

Murray has a bigger defensive impact and has really embraced his job playing off the ball with Young in Atlanta, which is why he would thrive in Los Angeles alongside LeBron. However, the Lakers’ path to acquiring a third star, in this case Murray, would need the relocation of crucial assets.

Reaves and Max Christie are the two young guys on the Los Angeles roster who the Hawks would most likely want in exchange for Murray. The Lakers would almost certainly want to trade Russell and one draft pick in exchange for Murray. How negotiations progress and what each team hopes to achieve can be discussed for hours. The truth is that the Hawks are in a similar situation to the Bulls in that they will not give up their star to help the Lakers only to make a trade before the February trade deadline.

The Hawks have underperformed, resulting in a losing record. Along with Young and Murray, the addition of one or two crucial role players might make them more dangerous in the Eastern Conference. After all, Atlanta did extend Murray’s deal this summer with the intention of keeping him as one of their highlighted talents for a long time. To entertain any deal, the Lakers would have to outbid them with a trade offer.

Nonetheless, pursuing Murray and his $17.7 million contract this season is a lot more possible for Los Angeles, especially since the Lakers will be able to trade any player on their roster once the restrictions on trades are lifted next month.

Other Lakers trade possibilities

Aside from LaVine and Murray, there haven’t been many rumors about elite players becoming available before the trade deadline. The Toronto Raptors have Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, but teams across the league have been unable to negotiate with the Raptors because to their “insanely high” asking demands, according to one league source. Lauri Markkanen has also been discussed recently, but the Utah Jazz are unlikely to be interested in anything the Lakers have to offer at this juncture.

Los Angeles will approach the trade season with a plethora of personnel possibilities. If Reaves is actually off-limits in trade talks, Russell is the most likely Laker player to be moved. Russell’s time with the Lakers is beginning to resemble Westbrook’s, thanks to his recent role change and movable contract. If the Lakers decide to let DLo go, he may become an important part of another team’s postseason push.

Another intriguing name to consider as a possible outgoing salary for the Lakers this season is Rui Hachimura. Hachimura is in the first year of a three-year, $51 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, but his position has been unclear at times. Hachimura’s workload has increased in recent games, as he is currently averaging 17.0 points and 4.3 rebounds over his last three games, up from 10.3 points per game in December.

Gabe Vincent, on the other hand, recently underwent knee surgery and will be out for six to eight weeks. Vincent is receiving $10.5 million in the first year of a three-year, $33 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, which he signed during the summer. Vincent was regarded by many teams as one of the finest free agent guards available this offseason after helping lead the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals last year. However, the signing has so far been a fiasco.

The Lakers should have options, and the notion that they must trade for a third star has been exaggerated. Pelinka and this front office will make the best decision possible to put the Lakers in position to compete for a title not only this season, but for the foreseeable future. Locking oneself into another $30 million or $40 million contract does not guarantee a championship and does not provide financial freedom.

The Detroit Pistons, who are on a historic 27-game losing skid, may be forced to transfer talent before the trade deadline. This may make Bojan Bogdanovic, a proven wing shooter, a feasible trade target for the Lakers. When discussing the Bulls, LaVine’s name has been mentioned, but former Laker guard Alex Caruso would make the most sense for Los Angeles. Over the next few weeks, Pelinka may prefer to chat with Chicago about moves based on the defensive-minded guard rather than LaVine. DeMar DeRozan is another option since, while he is still a star-caliber player, he has an expiring contract and is 34 years old, so he should be considerably cheaper.

Looking ahead to the Eastern Conference, the Washington Wizards will be another team that many playoff contenders will call. Tyus Jones, who is in the final year of his contract and earning $14 million, has proven to be one of the league’s most durable and effective guards in recent years. His passing and facilitating abilities might make him a valuable target for a team like the Los Angeles Lakers.

With the trade deadline approaching, many names will continue to float in whispers throughout the league. The Lakers, who do not need to make a trade right now, will be busy in the months ahead. Pelinka has shown no fear in the past when pursuing top-tier talent, and he will continue to surround his two superstar talents with everything they need to strive for another championship.