Just In : Lakers about to take a $173million deal for the critical su….

Just In : Lakers about to take a $173million deal for the critical su….

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka is preparing for a critical summer and he’s ready to make some big changes to the roster. According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, the team has already closed in on four main trade targets this offseason: Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Donovan Mitchell, and Darius Garland.

“There are two feasible paths: modest moves with their mid-sized contracts to upgrade the supporting cast around James and Davis, or a larger swing with the bulk of their assets to acquire a third All-Star-caliber player,” wrote Buha. “Trae Young is one of many names that’ll be discussed internally by the Lakers over the coming weeks, a list that includes Mitchell, Garland, and Murray.”

The Lakers finished the season at 7th in the West this year and were bounced early in the first round to the Denver Nuggets. With LeBron James, 39, likely to return for his 22nd season, the team is feeling pressure to make some moves and they already have a plan to bring in some reinforcements this summer.

It’s no secret that the Lakers have been monitoring the situation with the Cavaliers for some time now and Donovan Mitchell is a star they’ve coveted for a long while. The 5x All-Star, who turns 28 in September, has emerged as one of the best young guards in the league with career averages of 24.8 points, 4.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.

Mitchell would raise the Lakers’ ceiling to championship levels as a proven scorer and elite shooter. The same could also be said of 24-year-old Darius Garland from Vanderbilt University, a guy who LeBron James himself went to watch earlier this season.

“Cavaliers” Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland are likely to split up their backcourt,” wrote Buha. “The Cavaliers are trying to get Mitchell to sign an extension, but until there is more clarity on which player will be available, the Lakers can only theorize the nature of their offers.”

The Lakers need shooting to space the floor around LeBron James and Anthony Davis so Mitchell would be a better fit over Garland, who makes a little over 2 threes per game. If not either of them, the Lakers could also look to the Hawks to take their chances on either Trae Young or Dejounte Murray.

“Young has been linked to the Lakers for a while, though some around the league believe his switch of representation from Klutch Sports to CAA earlier this month has decreased the odds he lands in Los Angeles if he becomes available.”

Young, the 5th overall pick in 2018, has fallen on hard times with the Hawks but the 3x All-Star is still one of the most skilled guards in the NBA after coming off the 2023-24 season averaging 25.7 points and 10.8 assists per game on 43% shooting. His reputation in the locker room is admittedly troubling, but having a guy who can run the offense and set the table for his teammates would be huge for a Lakers team trying to depend less on LeBron James.

Young’s teammate, Dejounte Murray, was almost traded to the Lakers last season but he’s back on the trade block this summer and may be a better alternative than taking on the rest of Trae Young’s $173 million contract. The guard out of Washington State averaged 22.5 points, 6.4 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game in the 2023-24 season.