This season, an NBA title wasn’t in the cards for JJ Redick and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite playing high-level basketball after landing Luka Doncic in February, the franchise failed to make noise in the playoffs, resulting in an uneventful postseason.
Although the consensus is the Lakers should build around Doncic and LeBron James this summer, Clutch Points’ Bailey Bassett shockingly predicts Los Angeles will pull the plug on the Doncic experiment and reunite with a skilled three-time All-Star forward.
“Considering the Lakers just lost to the (Minnesota) Timberwolves in five games during the first round of the NBA playoffs, it would be a tough pill to swallow to then ship off their prized possession to that very team,” Bassett wrote Thursday.
“However, Doncic’s trade from Dallas (Mavericks) proved that anything is possible. The Timberwolves, like the (Denver) Nuggets, don’t have much in the way of draft capital to trade, but they do have some intriguing players who they could add in a trade.”
“Naz Reid led all centers in three-point makes this past season. He has the potential to develop into one of the best big men in the NBA, but he has always had Rudy Gobert and/or Karl-Anthony Towns blocking him from playing heavy minutes and starting.”
“In addition to a long-range strap, Reid also as an incredible handle for somebody his size. Julius Randle is the other player going to Los Angeles in this deal. Randle started his career with the Lakers, and his bully-ball style is still applicable to this day. Randle has three All-Star nods and five seasons averaging 20-plus points to his name.”
Bassett’s trade proposal sends Doncic to the Timberwolves for Randle, Reid, a 2025 first-round pick (via Detroit Pistons), and a 2028 first-round pick swap (Randle and Reid must pick up their player options to make this trade work).
Randle was brilliant for Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs. From attacking mismatches on the perimeter and in the low post to hitting timely threes after dribble penetration, the Kentucky product rose to the occasion to begin the postseason.
Randle, who spent four seasons with the Lakers to start his career, averaged 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in five opening-round contests, shooting 48.1% from the field and 39.3% from deep.
There’s no doubt Randle’s physically imposing nature and ability to drill timely perimeter jumpers would benefit Los Angeles. However, it would be prosperous for the organization to include Doncic in an offseason trade for Randle.
Doncic is a defensive liability and puts his teammates at a disadvantage on that end of the floor.
Still, the offensive-minded star, for whom Los Angeles sacrificed Anthony Davis midseason, should be a part of the Lakers’ future.
If Los Angeles wants to pursue Randle in free agency, it should refrain from using Doncic as a potential trade chip.
