As the Los Angeles Lakers gear up for a big 2024-25 season ahead of them, one thing that is clear about their roster is their need for another high-level scorer. They have one of the most dominant duos in league history in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but a relatively weak supporting cast consisting of mostly average role players at best.
The Lakers could target Bulls’ star Zach Lavine
With James and Davis getting older, their window to win another title in the 2020s is closing quickly. The Lakers opted not to make a splash move this summer, putting their full trust in the core that they have constructed over the past two seasons.
However, that does not mean that the door is shut on making a blockbuster. After missing out on marquee talent this offseason, including Paul George and DeMar DeRozan, the next guy they could pivot to is Chicago Bulls’ star Zach Lavine.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed a three-team mock trade that would send Lavine to L.A. for a truckload of players and draft capital, while giving Chicago a proper Lavine replacement in New Orleans Pelicans’ star Brandon Ingram. The trade reads as follows:
Lakers get: Zach Lavine and Antonio Reeves
Bulls get: Brandon Ingram, D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2029 first-round pick (from Los Angeles), and a 2031 first-round pick (from Los Angeles)
Pelicans get: Rui Hachimura, Chris Duarte, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes, and a 2031 first-round pick (from Chicago)
Lavine’s talent could be just what the Lakers need
Undoubtedly, that is a lot of moving parts to acquire Lavine, and would perhaps be on the same level of league-altering as the stunning Karl-Anthony Towns trade to the New York Knicks last week that also saw fellow All-Star Julius Randle get dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In total, the Lakers would part ways with five players and two first-round picks if they were to complete this deal.
Adding Lavine alongside James and Davis could make them one of the best trios in the league, as it brings a perfect combination of high-level scoring and elite interior defense. Lavine is typically ball-dominant offensively but he has the capability to be an elite catch-and-shoot player with James patrolling the offense, and he would essentially replace Russell as the team’s third option.
Injuries and a hefty contract from Lavine are some of the biggest risks to doing such a deal, and doing this exact trade would be banking on him to stay healthy given that they would essentially gut their depth to complete this deal. The Pelicans need size and athleticism to their roster, which is what Hachimura, Hayes, and Reddish could provide, but are those role players worth giving up for an unreliable player on a $215 million contract?
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Lavine has dealt with numerous injuries in the past
Currently, Lavine’s cap hit for this season is projected to be around $43 million. James and Davis are the Lakers’ biggest contracts on their books, and those two are untouchable, so they would have to move on from several key players in order for the salaries to match up. Lavine is one of the game’s elite scorers but has dealt with injuries over the years.
Last year, Lavine played in just 25 games with various foot and ankle injuries, which will be something to monitor this season with regard to his explosiveness around the rim. It would be a massive risk for the Lakers to go out and acquire a guy with an extensive injury history, but he could also be the missing piece to their roster and form a title contender once again.
There is no indication of any active trade talks surrounding Lavine and the Lakers at this time. However, as the season progresses and it becomes clearer what direction each team is heading in, trade discussions could intensify, with Lavine being at the top of their list.
