The 2023 Lakers team went all the way to the Western Conference Finals after being traded in the middle of the season, which made Lakers fans see the hope of winning the championship. But only a year later, the Lakers team faced the Nuggets again but had no room to fight back, ending the season with a one-round outcome.
In this summer offseason, James signed a two-year contract, and the Lakers also retained players such as Reaves Jr. and Russell, and once again charged for the championship.
But we also know that in the playoffs last season, the reason why the Lakers couldn't go far was mainly because the two ball-handlers Reaves Jr. and Russell played inconsistently on the offensive end, and the Lakers lacked a second offensive starting point other than James. If the Lakers still want to pursue a championship, it is important to seize the opportunity of the trade to strengthen it.
This is not? United States Fadeaway world columnist Fran · Leva simulated a 5-for-1 blockbuster trade that would allow the Lakers to acquire the perfect point guard Trae Young to increase the team's chances of winning the championship.
The Lakers received: Trae · Young;
The Hawks get: D'Angelo· Russell, Jared · Vanderbilt, Gabe · Vincent, Jalen· Hood Schifino, 2031 first-round picks;
It's a potential 5-for-1 deal that sees the Lakers trading four high-caliber players and a first-round pick to get All-Star guard Trae Young from the Hawks.
The Hawks have traded second-star Murray to the Pelicans this offseason, and it is already quite difficult to reach the Eastern Conference Finals stage with the current roster, so it is better to take the opportunity to trade away players in exchange for more chips needed for a rebuild. If the deal can be completed, the Hawks will have a lot of roster depth and a first-round pick that they need to rebuild. The four players they got from the Lakers could be used as new trade chips in exchange for draft picks, so why not?
As for the Lakers? In this deal, All-Star guard Trae Young, who averaged 25.7 points and 10.8 assists per game last season, can perfectly solve the Lakers' two major pain points: one is to become the third consistent scoring point after James and Davis, and the other can be used as a core playmaker other than James.
The Lakers' offense will not be a big problem, with Trae Young, James, and Davis as the core, they will have the strength to wrestle with any opponent. On this basis, the Lakers can make small repairs and introduce one or two outside 3Ds with balanced offense and defense, and they can launch a new round of impact towards the championship.