Getty Rob Pelinka
The Los Angeles Lakers are running out of time with LeBron James. With limited assets at their behest, they can only do so much in terms of talent upgrades. However, that’s not going to stop them from trying. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported that they have one target in mind to surround James and Anthony Davis: Trae Young.
On Buha’s YouTube Channel, he explained that the Lakers will go after a third star, and that Young’s name has come up.
“They are going third star hunting this off-season,” Buha said. “Now who’s available? The one name I continually hear is Trae Young. He’s been to Laker playoff games before, he’s a Clutch Sports client. That’s probably the most realistic one right now.”
Buha then questioned who would go back to the Atlanta Hawks in a trade for Young.
“Now, of course, whether they get him is going to come down to whether they are willing to put all three picks, two picks in a deal. Is it Austin (Reaves) and Max (Christie)? Is it just Austin? And you got to have the matching salary of course. Is that Rui (Hachimura)? Is that (Jared Vanderbilt)? Do they send (D’Angelo Russell) there as well? There’s a lot of different ways that can play out, but my understanding is yes, they are going third-star hunting.”
Young made an All-NBA team in 2022 and is in the second year of a five-year, $215 million contract.
Trae Young Responds to Lakers Trade Rumors
Young addressed the notion of going to the Lakers. While he is unsure of his future in Atlanta, he expressed his desire to win a title with the Hawks. At the same time, he wants a title period.
“They’ve never won a championship in Atlanta,” Young said in an interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks on Tuesday, March 5. “Like doing that, like me getting drafted [it] felt like it was a match made in heaven. This is something I want to do. Like I can defeat the odds here too.
“So for me, my whole vision was always to be here like my goal was to win championships. Bring people here with me and build this championship [culture] here, dynasty here. But who knows, like it’s your six now. And who knows? Like for me, I want that [championship].”
Since making a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, the Hawks have only gone backward. They stand at 34-40, which puts them as the 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. Their struggles could lead to changes.
Laker Have Reported Interest in Trae Young
Before the NBA Trade deadline passed, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that the Lakers had more interest in trading for a star like Young in the offseason.
“The Lakers have discussed internally the possibility of packaging three picks, along with players they already have on their books, to pursue a bona fide star, such as Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers or Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, team sources told ESPN,” McMenamin wrote in a January 23 story.
The Lakers stood pat at the trade deadline, which could signify their confidence that they can get someone like Young this coming offseason.