Getty Austin Reaves makes a pass.
If the Los Angeles Lakers make a blockbuster trade this offseason, teams could be interested in acquiring Austin Reaves. Looking at the best and worst landing spots for NBA players, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report listed the Lakers as the “best spot” for Donovan Mitchell. However, Bailey’s idea would have them moving Reaves.
“The Los Angeles Lakers may not have the best assets for a Donovan Mitchell trade, but three first-round picks, salary filler and some good, young(ish) players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura is nothing to sneeze at,” Bailey wrote on June 4. “It will start to look a lot better if Mitchell’s camp signals to the rest of the league that he’ll only re-sign with a handful of teams (including the Lakers).
“If Mitchell winds up there, it’ll be easy to buy the Lakers as an immediate contender.”
With three tradeable first-round picks, the Lakers would likely have to move all of them to interest the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers sent the Utah Jazz three players, three first-round picks, and two pick swaps for Mitchell in 2022.
Los Angeles Lakers GM Hinted at a ‘Bigger Swing’ During 2023-24 Trade Deadline
The Los Angeles Lakers had a quiet trade deadline, deciding to not trade any of their assets. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka highlighted the three first-round picks they’ll have to trade during the 2024 NBA draft, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“In terms of what was available at the trade deadline, we had one first-round draft pick,” Pelinka said. “It was our only sort of hook to fish with. And this summer in June, we, at the time of the draft, we’ll have three first-round draft picks to look for deals, which I think will really unlock an access to potentially a greater or bigger swing.”
Pelinka holding his assets at the trade deadline could come back to be a wise decision if the Lakers do land someone like Mitchell.
Los Angeles ‘Needs a Third Star’
The Los Angeles Lakers can go in a few different directions this offseason. They could use those assets to add talented role players or they could attempt to find a third star. Talented role players like Alex Caruso, Jonathan Isaac, Aaron Gordon, and others help teams win championships, too.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers are leaning more toward upgrading their supporting cast.
“My sense right now is they’re leaning more toward upgrading the supporting cast rather than the three-star model,” Buha said in May.
That strategy has worked in recent years as the Denver Nuggets won last year with a similar model. The Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks have elite supporting casts, too.
However, it’s tough to land elite-level role players like Derrick White, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington. There’s a reason they’re playing a big impact on a team in the finals.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report wrote on June 3 that the Lakers chasing supporting pieces “feels like trying to throw a couple Band-Aids on a wound that clearly requires surgical attention” and that Los Angeles “needs a third star.”
“Chasing a few support pieces feels like trying to throw a couple Band-Aids on a wound that clearly requires surgical attention,” Buckley wrote. “Maybe it makes you feel better in the moment, but it’s not actually addressing the problem.
“L.A. needs a third star. It almost doesn’t matter which one.”
Mitchell, a five-time All-Srar, would fit perfectly in that third-star role after averaging 26.6 points in 2023-24.