Getty Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell.
After deciding to have an uneventful offseason last year, the Los Angeles Lakers are poised to make big changes this year. The team has already moved on from head coach Darvin Ham and they appear poised to go after a number of star players.
One name who has been linked to the Lakers is Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell. He has two years left on his contract but has a player option so he could be a free agent in 2025. The Cavaliers could decide to trade him this offseason before he can leave for nothing in free agency.
The Lakers should be among the teams interested but it won’t be cheap to add him. Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report pitched a trade that would send Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2029 first-round pick, a 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2031 first-round pick to Cleveland for Mitchell.
“If Mitchell’s desire for a big market suppresses his value a bit, the Lakers’ ability to send multiple picks, two players who can help right now and a prospect is at least intriguing,” Bailey wrote in a May 15 column.
“And though losing Mitchell would probably mean Cleveland was taking a half step away from contention, there’s a chance this trade could bring a little more balance to the roster. The backcourt wouldn’t be quite as small with Reaves, and Hachimura could provide some spacing for a frontcourt that desperately needs it.”
Would This Trade Be Worth It for Los Angeles Lakers?
The trade that Bailey is pitching would certainly be a lot for the Lakers. Giving up that many future first-round picks is a big risk. Mitchell would be in his 30s by the time the Lakers actually give the Cavaliers a first-round pick and Anthony Davis will be in his mid-30s.
This would be a true all-in move for Los Angeles. They’d have limited future flexibility and not many avenues to rebuild if the team isn’t any good. That said, a trio of Davis, Mitchell and LeBron James could be very appealing. Mitchell’s proven scoring ability would take a lot of pressure off of both of the other Lakers stars. Plus, he’s still only 27 and could be a good running mate for Davis once James is retired.
If the Lakers are going to mortgage their future, Mitchell is one of their best options.
Brian Windhorst on Donovan Mitchell:
“A number of teams have their offers ready”
Chiney: “Lakers?”
Windy: “Absolutely “
Greeny: “Knicks?”
Windy: “I don’t think—the Knicks are trying to win this Eastern Conference series
“But certainly across the river there in Brooklyn”
Would Donovan Mitchell Want to Go to Los Angeles?
The Lakers can’t even consider trading this many assets for Mitchell if he doesn’t have a long-term interest in Los Angeles. Much has been made about how the guard is a New York native and how he might want to play for the New York Knicks.
That’s always a possibility but the Knicks might not have much interest. They already have a star guard in Jalen Brunson whose skillset is similar to that of Mitchell. It would make more sense for them to try and add a star big or a star wing. If Mitchell doesn’t want to stay in Cleveland, the Lakers make a lot of sense for him. He’d get to go to a huge market and play with two of the best players in the NBA.