The Los Angeles Lakers missed out on adding proven star talent this offseason. They made several attempts to land big names, pursuing the likes of Paul George, James Harden, and others in the free agency market. But when it came to trades, the Lakers found that they didn’t have enough assets to land a premier player.
With the 2024 NBA season drawing closer as the calendar turns the page from summer to fall, some still wonder if the Lakers can execute a last-minute trade. Now, we have a better idea of what type of trade offer the Lakers would have to present to secure an All-Star-level player.
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Los Angeles Lakers likely need to trade both first-round picks for a Darius Garland-like talent
The Los Angeles Lakers may have their eye on trading for several players. As we know, it takes two to tango, and just because the Lakers have scouted players around the league, it doesn’t meant those teams are ready to negotiate.
This close to the start of the season, most teams are likely in the wait-and-see mode, wanting to discover whether their rosters are ready to compete for a playoff spot. This means a blockbuster trade likely isn’t coming any time soon. Yet, all it takes is one strong offer for teams to reconsider.
Could the Lakers make a team an offer too good to refuse? If so, they’d likely have to part with both of their first-round picks, which may not be in the front office’s plans.
Yet, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, if the Lakers wanted to add an All-Star like Darius Garland, Los Angeles would have to trade both of their first round picks.
“(Darius) Garland, 24, averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists in his 2021-22 All-Star season. The Lakers would view him as their cornerstone point guard, and the price would be presumably both of L.A.’s available first-round picks. Taking in his salary would also be challenging, but Russell, Hachimura and Hood-Schifino are probably the cleanest path. It’s a lot for the Lakers to give up in depth and potential draft compensation.”
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus on Los Angeles Lakers
There are several other potential stars who could become available, but Garland’s situation in Cleveland bears watching, especially if the Cavaliers don’t get off to the strong start they expect.
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