When NBA free agency first began, the Los Angeles Lakers were one of the league’s most active clubs. The Los Angeles Rams brought retained much of last season’s core and added some new faces to fill out their roster of 13. The next move of the Lakers has fans on edge.

It appears that the purple and gold are planning for potential roster moves throughout the season, despite not having officially committed to a 14th or 15th player. In a perfect world, the Los Angeles Lakers would make a huge move at the trade deadline.

It looks that the Lakers are still interested in acquiring Trae Young from the Clippers. It has “long been on Los Angeles’ radar,” writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic, “depending on how his situation unfolds in Atlanta.”

 

The Hawks are not looking to trade Trae Young at this time. There is, nevertheless, a plausible scenario in which Young gets traded in February. The Hawks haven’t been making the kind of moves that would suggest they’re going all-in, and a new superstar becomes dissatisfied every six months.

Young still has four years and over $170 million on his contract. If Atlanta does not believe he is a championship-caliber player, they may attempt to get out from under his enormous contract before things get out of hand.

Considering how NBA stars operate in the business world in 2023, Young demanding a trade is the least scenario.

This is about all the Lakers would have to offer the Hawks in order to acquire Young. In exchange for two swapped picks and an unprotected first-round selection, Los Angeles would give Atlanta four years of control.

In both 2028 and 2030, Los Angeles would still have a first-round pick, but it would be the worse of the two available. Since the Lakers’ future assets would be committed, they would be unable to make any other major moves.

D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura would need to be a part of it just to make financial sense. The Atlanta Braves may try to trade either player for additional resources. The addition of Jalen Hood-Schifino at the 17th pick is the cherry on top.

This would be investing the team’s hopes in a divisive player who may not be the key to winning the basketball game. There will undoubtedly be admirers on both sides of the aisle with strong opinions about this concept.