If prior to the season you had said that LeBron James and Anthony Davis would both play around 70 games, most NBA analysts would have pegged the Los Angeles Lakers as a top-4 seed in the Western Conference.
Instead, despite their relative health, the Lakers were firmly in the Play-In Tournament to end the season, desperately fighting merely for the chance at a playoff series. The West is incredibly deep and the Lakers were unable to rise higher than the eighth seed. They barely hung on to survive against the New Orleans Pelicans, and for their efforts were rewarded with the Denver Nuggets, a team that had won eight-straight games against them.
Make that 10 straight as we arrive in the present, as the Lakers gave up double-digit leads against the Nuggets in each of the first two games of the series, including a heart-breaking loss in Game 2 when Jamal Murray hit a buzzer-beating jumper. While the Lakers may still believe in their chances of coming back in the series, it’s clear they don’t have enough to keep up with the defending champions.
To come back next season and have a chance at making a real run before LeBron James is no longer an All-NBA player, the Lakers may need to make a big swing on the trade market.
Luckily for the Lakers, they will have as many as three first-round draft picks available to trade this summer, opening up the list of potential star players the Lakers can trade for. The versatility of LeBron also allows for a variety of third stars to be pursued and added to the roster.
Which players could the Lakers target? There are a number of wings and guards, but one of the most recognizable and oft-discussed options plays in Atlanta.
Let’s look at a potential blockbuster trade and see how it could come together and whether it makes sense for the Lakers to make.
