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The Los Angeles Lakers are believed to have inquired about Trae Young during their failed trade talks with the Atlanta Hawks for Dejounte Murray last season, according to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus.
“L.A. and Atlanta negotiated last season with talks surrounding Dejounte Murray (though Young is believed to have been discussed),” Pincus wrote on September 10.
Young, a three-time NBA All-Star, has remained in Atlanta while Murray was dealt to the New Orleans Pelicans this summer.
The Lakers have identified Young and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell as their star trade targets in an internal discussion, ESPN reported in January.
But that was before Young dumped Klutch Sports, whose top clients are Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, for Creative Artists Agency as his representation.
Mitchell, another CAA client, has also stayed in Cleveland, signing a three-year, $150.3 million extension this offseason.
Pincus added: “There’s no significant intel that Young is available, but that could change as the season progresses.”
The salary cap expert noted that Young, who has three years left on his five-year, $215 million max deal, has to waive his trade kicker to help the Lakers land him in the event he becomes available.
If that happens, the big question for the Lakers is are they willing to give up Austin Reaves and their two first-round picks (2029 and 2031) to land Young?
Austin Reaves ‘Untouchable’ in Trade Talks
The Lakers have made Reaves untouchable in any trade talks, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“I just know JJ [Redick] has big plans for Austin Reaves,” Windhorst said during the September 6 episode of his “Hoop Collective” podcast. “Not only that, when there were discussions with the Lakers this summer and teams had discussions with them and Austin Reaves came up it was a hard ‘no.’”
Windhorst noted that Reaves was expected to take a major leap last season. And despite averaging career highs across the board — 15.9 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds — Reaves had an underwhelming season based on the expectations he would pop as one of the league’s brightest young stars following his Team USA stint in the 2023 FIBA World Cup in Manila.
“I just know that JJ really believes in Austin Reaves,” Windhorst said, “and I think he’s going to try to put him in a position to be successful.”
Reaves’ agent, Aaron Reilly, believes that would be the case based on his reaction when Redick’s hiring was announced.
“This coach is about to show a different part of Austin’s game [that] none have you seen. Kept receipts on all that third superstar [expletive]. Great hire for LA – going to be a big year next season,” Reilly tweeted on June 20.
Lakers’ Top Concern
After their failed pursuit of Murray and other wing players, the Lakers have shifted their focus in shoring up their frontline.
Davis and their new coach JJ Redick want the Lakers to trade for a big man.
“One thing Davis has made clear to the Lakers, sources told ESPN, is his preference to play alongside another big more often,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote on September 12.
It’s the same sentiment Redick openly said in July.
“You certainly have to look at what I think is actually a very good roster, a very balanced roster,” Redick said in an interview with Justin Termine and Eddie Johnson on Sirius XM NBA Radio during the NBA Summer League. “We’d love to, we tried, but we’d love to, at some point, get another five man, a big bruising five man.
You look at the Western Conference right now, whether it’s Denver, Minnesota, OKC with what they added, certainly Memphis, they’re going to be back in the hunt, they added Zach Edey, certain matchups in the playoffs, you’re going to need a lot of size.”
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