Getty Trae Young driving to the basket during a January 30 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Few ambitions are less known than the Los Angeles Lakers’ desire to add a third star in 2024, with Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young atop the list of potential candidates.
The three-time All-Star and his backcourt teammate Dejounte Murray are expected to be broken up after two seasons together.
But if it’s Young who’s moved, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey has listed Los Angeles as his best possible landing spot.
And that the Lakers might be better off acquiring the Hawks star, as opposed to trading for five-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.
“Young might be an even better fit for the Lakers than Donovan Mitchell,” Bailey wrote on June 4. “His playmaking volume would likely decrease alongside LeBron James, but he’s a better creator and distributor than Mitchell.”
Young is 25 years old, coming off his sixth NBA season, and his third career All-Star honors.
He played a shortened 2023-2024 (54 games) with injury, but still averaged 25.7 points and 10.8 assists nightly.
His youth and capability to serve as the hub in any offense make him an appealing target for a lot of teams. But for the Lakers especially, if they’re ready to start thinking about a world without LeBron James.
“After LeBron is gone, the pick-and-roll tandem of Young and Davis would be among the league’s best and most prolific,” Bailey continued. “Defense will be a concern for any team with Young, but L.A. has one of the NBA’s best anchors on that end in AD.”
It’s unclear if Atlanta is ready to live in a world without Young, though.
Latest Intel on Young’s Future
As the NBA Finals prepare to tip off on June 6, trade chatter will ramp up accordingly.
Longtime insider Marc Stein had the last word on Young’s future with the Hawks. They were awarded the first overall selection in the upcoming draft, in the NBA’s draft lottery.
“Considerable speculation is already bubbling leaguewide,” Stein wrote on May 13. “Even more feverishly than it was before about the Hawks’ expected willingness to trade Trae Young or Murray in the wake of landing the No. 1 pick.”
Los Angeles is bound to be involved in whichever of the two Atlanta guards becomes available. But following a switch in representation, there’s mounting pessimism about a Young deal to the Lakers.
Trae Young Leaves Klutch for CAA
Young left Klutch Sports Group for Creative Artists Agency on May 7. He announced the move on X, formerly known as Twitter.
When I say it, I really mean it..
Another Day, Another Opportunity‼️
“When I say it, I really mean it,” Young tweeted. “Another Day, Another Opportunity‼️”
The move has direct ties to his Lakers chances, as Kluch Sports represents LeBron and teammate Anthony Davis.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic reported on May 30 that opinions around the league have grown pessimistic about his Los Angeles odds.
“Young is a name that has been linked to the Lakers for a while,” Buha wrote. “Though some around the league believe his switch of representation from Klutch Sports to CAA earlier this month has decreased the odds he lands in Los Angeles if he becomes available. (James and Davis are two of Klutch Sports’ most notable clients.) Regardless, it’s unclear if every key Lakers’ stakeholder would want to aggressively pursue him.”
Davis switched to Klutch in 2018, before ultimately getting traded to the Lakers a year later.
Representation isn’t everything, but Young leaving Klutch is notable. The same can be said of Los Angeles’ hopes of landing a third star like the Atlanta point guard.
It isn’t everything because it hasn’t happened. And the signals being sent to the rest of the league aren’t to be overlooked.
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Lakers Tabbed as ‘Best Landing Spot’ for Trae Young Over 5-Time All-Star