Lakerholics

Lakers go all-in to win a ring next season by pulling off a mega trade for 3 championship caliber starters in Derrick White, Deni Avdija, and Onyeka Okongwu to play alongside superstars Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

The Lakers’ mega 4-team, 9-player trade for White, Avdija, and Okongwu will cost Reaves, Knecht, Hachimura, Vincent, Vanderbilt, Milton, and the team’s 2031 first round pick plus 2028 and 2030 first round pick swaps. The trade transforms an offensive oriented Lakers’ starting lineup with 4 weak defenders into a lethal two-way starting juggernaut with 4 strong individual and team defenders who are also excellent offensive players.

Most importantly, the trade accomplishes the Lakers’ most important goal for the offseason, which is to show LeBron James and Luka Doncic how serious and committed they are to building a championship dynasty.
Pulling off the mega trade not only upgrades the Lakers’ title hopes but also essentially guarantees LeBron will return for at least one more season and Luka will sign a long-term extension to remain in purple and gold.

The timing could not have been better for Lakers to be blessed by the basketball gods when Pelinka parlayed Davis, Christie, and a 2029 first round pick into the 26-year old international superstar Luka Doncic.
But while Luka is the future face of the purple and gold, it’s going to be hard as long as LeBron is still on the team not to think of the Lakers as his team. Plus, if the Lakers win it all, LeBron might decide to stay longer.

Let’s take a closer look at the mega trade itself and why White, Avdija, and Okongwu are the championship caliber starters LeBron and Luke need, and what are the Lakers’ options to restore their roster depth and diversity.

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THE MEGA TRADE

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The Los Angeles Lakers disappointing first round ‘gentlemen’s sweep’ by the Dallas Mavericks clearly exposed why superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic and 3 one-way players are not a championship blueprint.

To be championship contenders, the Lakers must upgrade the 3 players who start alongside superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic. One-way players like Reaves, Hachimura, and Hayes simply aren’t good enough.
The Lakers need 3 legitimate two-way players who can be counted on to make right decisions, defend multiple positions, create plays for others, share the basketball, hit open shots, and play with energy and physicality.

With Luka Doncic at the one and LeBron James at the four, the Los Angeles Lakers need to dramatically upgrade their other 3 starters, including Austin Reaves at the two, Rui Hachimura at the three, and Jaxson Hayes at the five.
The Lakers should target Celtics’ shooting guard Derrick White to replace Austin Reaves, Trail Blazers’ small forward Deni Avdija to replace Rui Hachimura, and Hawks’ center Onyeka Okongwu to replace Jaxson Hayes.

White would cost the Lakers Knecht, Vincent, and an unprotected 2031 first round pick while Avdija would cost Reaves, Milton, and a 2030 pick swap and Okongwu would cost Hachimura, Vanderbilt, and a 2028 pick swap.
Assuming they re-sign LeBron and DFS, the Lakers remaining trading chips include Maxi Kleber’s $11.0 million tradable contract, the #55 pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, and their 2026 first round pick swap

The Lakers need to replace last season’s 3 offense-first starters with 3 new two-way players with positional size who can shoot the three-ball and defend their positions and fit better with superstars LeBron and Luka.

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THE NEW STARTERS

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Lakers pull off mega 4-team, 9-player trade to create championship starting lineup with Luka Doncic surrounded by 4 two-way players who can defend in Derrick White, Deni Avdija, LeBron James, and Onyeka Okongwu.

The transformation starts with two-time All-Defensive Second Team guard Derrick White replacing Austin Reaves as starting shooting guard to form a perfect L.A. Lakers’ backcourt of the future with point guard Luka Doncic.
The soon-to-be 31-years old Derrick White is not only the perfect defense-first guard for the Lakers to pair with offense-first Luka Doncic but also an offensive player who’s one of the league’s elite 4th quarter clutch shooters.

The transformation continues with 6′ 9″ budding future superstar wing Deni Avdija replacing Rui Hachimura as the team’s starting small forward. Deni can space the floor, get to the basket, and defend multiple positions.
He gives the Lakers the legitimate bigger 3&D wing they have long coveted. His positional size, bully ball physicality, 3-point shooting, and ability to defend 1 through 5 make him the perfect wing for the Lakers to pursue.

Completing the overhaul of the Lakers’ starting lineup is 24-year old modern two-way center Onyeka Okongwu, who’s capable of both protecting the rim with his shot blocking and stretching the floor with his shooting.
While the Lakers still need a backup center with a bruising big body like Steven Adams, 24-year old Okongwu has everything the Lakers need in a modern two-way center who can protect the rim and stretch the floor.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ championship caliber starting lineup has Luka Doncic at point, Derrick White at shooting guard, Deni Avdija at small forward, LeBron James at power forward, and Onyeka Okongwu at center.

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THE NEW ROTATION

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After the 4-team mega trade, the Lakers will have 9 active players on the roster, which means they will need add 5 more players to increase the roster to the 14 active players the league requires every team to carry.

Assuming LeBron James accepts his $52.6 million player option, the Lakers would be $9.1 million under the first apron, which would not be enough to even sign 5 more players much less take advantage of exceptions like MLE.
With the Lakers making a mega trade to upgrade their 3 non-superstar starters, the odds of LeBron taking a pay cut to open up cap space so the Lakers could use the $14.1 million NT MLE and $5.1 million BAE increase.

In this perfect world, LeBron James goes all-in and gives the Lakers the cap space to pursue small forward Nickeil Alexander-Walker, center Steven Adams, or shooting guard Bruce Brown for $14.1 million per year NT MLE.
For the $5.1 million per year BAE, the Lakers could be looking at vet players like the Spurs’ Chris Paul, Bucks Brook Lopez, Warriors’ Gary Payton II, 76ers’ Kelly Oubre, Jr., Celtics’ Luke Kornet, and Magic’s Goga Bitadze.

The Lakers should plan to use a solid and trustworthy 10-man rotation designed to empower players to play harder and more aggressively by reducing their minutes per game and the resulting body wear-and-tear.
NBA teams are going to have no choice but to copy Oklahoma City Thunder’s deep and diverse roster in order to compete. There’s no doubt the league is going to get younger, faster, and much more physical.

Rob Pelinka needs to be aggressive after mega trade and sign center Steven Adams to the $14.1 million per year NT MLE, Kelly Oubre, Jr. to the $5.1 million per year BAE, and Chris Paul to a veteran’s minimum contract.

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THE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

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The Lakers mega trade and great free agency summer could produce a championship caliber starting lineup of Doncic, White, Avdija, James, and Okongwu backed up by Paul, James, Jr., Oubre, Finney-Smith, and Adams.

The Lakers new starting lineup would not only be one of the strongest starting lineups in the entire league but their 10-man rotation would also qualify as one of the deepest and most diverse rotations in the NBA.
L.A.’s rotation rocks with Doncic and Paul at point guard, White and James, Jr. at shooting guard, Avdija and Oubre, Jr. at small forward, James and Finney-Smith at power forward, and Okongwu and Adams at center.

Whereas last season’s 9-man rotation was heavy with offense-first one-way players, the Lakers’ new 10-man rotation for 2025–26 boasts 9 legitimate two-way players plus a hopefully slimmer and better conditioned Luka.
Gone are other offense-only one-way players like Reaves, Hachimura, Hayes, Knecht, Milton, and Vincent and defense-only one-way players like Vanderbilt. Now the only one-way player left is superstar Luka Doncic.

One of the major goals of the Lakers’ offseason moves was to increase the team’s size advantage at all five positions. The result is the Lakers will have a significant positional size advantage at every one of the five positions.
The Lakers’ new championship caliber starting lineup will boast a 6′ 7″ point guard in Doncic, a 6′ 4″ shooting guard in White, a 6′ 9″ small forward in Avdija, a 6′ 9″ power forward in James, and a 6′ 10″ center in Okongwu.

The Los Angeles Lakers go all-in and trade for 3 elite new starters and, with LeBron James taking a major pay cut, sign 3 top quality unrestricted free agent backups to upgrade their 10-man rotation to championship caliber.

While the Lakers do not want to trade Austin Reaves, they’d be grossly negligent if they do not reach out to other teams and find out what they might be willing to give up to trade for the talented young point guard.

The Lakers’ problem is most observers just do not believe a Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves backcourt, despite how great they could be offensively, simply cannot be good enough defensively to win an NBA championship. The Lakers face pressure from LeBron and Luka to go all-in and trade young stars like Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht and their 2031 first round pick and multiple swaps to upgrade their roster to championship caliber.

With James eligible to become a free agent this summer and Doncic projected to be in the same position next summer, all eyes will be on the Lakers’ newly promoted President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers’ top priority this summer has to be to lock up LeBron James and Luke Doncic for as many years as possible. The Lakers cannot relax and rest until Rob Pelinka gets their signatures on new contracts or extensions.

While their public position has been that Austin Reaves is not untouchable, the Lakers have also made it clear any trade of their promising young point guard would have to bring back a legitimate foundational player in return.
Right now, the Lakers need a starting quality center who can protect the rim and stretch the floor both vertically and horizontally and a starting quality shooting guard who can shut down elite guard and wing scorers.

Here are 4 young NBA players whom the Los Angeles Lakers should target in blockbuster trades for Austin Reaves. What all four candidates have in common is they are all solid two-way players who can score and defend.

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1. Celtics’ Derrick White

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The first player whom the Lakers should target in a blockbuster trade for Austin Reaves is Celtics’ starting point guard Derrick White, who’s a clutch offensive point guard and All-Defensive Second Team in 2023 and 2024.

White would be the perfect All-Defensive guard to pair with Doncic in a championship Lakers’ backcourt of the future. He may not be as versatile offensively as Reaves but his elite perimeter defense is a game-changer.
White will turn 31-years old in July so the Lakers would not only be trading be trading a 26-year old for a player 5 years older but also trading a player earning only $13.9 million per year for one making $28.1 million per year.

The Celtics are expected to prioritize moving the older and more expensive Holiday or Porzingis but the opportunity to swap White for a versatile star like Reaves who’s 5 years younger and half as expensive could be tempting.
Would the Lakers include a pick swap to sweeten the deal? The Luka trade dramatically reduced the value of the Lakers pick swaps but they’re still highly desirable trade assets to teams likely to finish above the Lakers.

For the Lakers, trading for the 31-year old Derrick White is a better fit with both Luka Doncic and LeBron James than pursuing the soon to be 35-years old Jrue Holiday, who’s 4 years older and $4 million more expensive.
For the Celtics, trading the older, more expensive White for the younger and cheaper Reaves and Vincent’s expiring contract will ultimately save them over $25 million per year in player salaries and luxury taxes.

Bottom line, Derrick White should be the first player the Lakers target in a blockbuster trade for Austin Reaves. White is the shut down perimeter defender the Lakers need to pair with Doncic without giving up offense.

DERRICK WHITE, 6′ 4″, 190 lbs, 30-years old, $28.1M/yr
16.4 pts, 4.5 rebs, 4.8 asts, 1.1 blk, 0.9 stls in 33.9 mpg
Shooting 12.6/9.1/1.2 shots for 44.2/38.4/83.9%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

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2. Trailblazers’ Deni Avdija

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The second player the Los Angeles Lakers should pursue in a blockbuster Austin Reaves trade is 24-year old Trailblazers’ small forward Deni Avdija, an uber-talented young player who could become a superstar next to Luka.

The 24-year old Avdija is exactly the kind of young star for whom the Lakers should be seeking in trade for Austin Reaves. Like Reaves, Avdija not only has a rising upside but also an extremely valuable team friendly contract.
Avdija is the perfect small forward for the Lakers. He has great positional size, attacks the basket downhill, stretches the court with his 3-point shot, and is a smart and physical defender who can guard multiple positions.

For the Lakers, swapping Austin Reaves straight up for Deni Avdija does not solve the problem of finding a 3&D defensive stopper to pair with superstar Luka Doncic in the backcourt but it does solve their small forward issues.
The Lakers have long struggled with having enough size and physicality at small forward to handle the bigger guard and wing scorers in the West. At 6′ 9″ and 240 pounds, Deni has the quickness to stay with smaller players.

For the Blazers, Austin Reaves would give them an elite starting point guard who could also mentor former #3 draft pick Scoot Henderson, who has struggled to reach his projection as Portland’s point guard of the future.
The Blazers are committed to building around Scoot Henderson and Shannon Sharpe. Swapping Deni Avdija for Austin Reaves would be a specific move to turbocharge Scoot Henderson’s player development.

The Blazers are a young team on the rise with a lot of talent. Swapping two rising young stars on incredible team friendly contracts like Deni Avdija for Austin Reaves is the kind of win-win trade that could help both team.

DENI AVDIJA, 6′ 9″, 240 lbs, 24-years old, $14.4M/yr
16.9 pts, 7.3 rebs, 3.9 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.0 stls in 30.0 mpg
Shooting 11.7/4.8/5.2 shots for 47.6/36.5/78.0%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

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3. Pelicans Herb Jones

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If the Boston Celtics are not willing to trade Derrick White for Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers should see if the New Orleans Pelicans would swap small forward Herb Jones straight up for Austin Reaves.

While Jones does not provide the two-way skillsets of Derrick White, he would still be an elite player to pair in the backcourt with Luke Doncic. At 6′ 7″, Herb could be the Lakers’ version of the Hawks’ 6′ 8″ Dyson Daniels.
Just as Dyson Daniels uses his All-Defensive skills to protect Hawks’ offense-first point guard Trey Young, Jones could use his elite defensive skill sets to protect the Lakers’ offense-first point guard Luka Doncic.

While Herb Jones has primarily played small forward, he’s an elite perimeter defense who has the quickness of feet and hands to defend smaller players as well as the physicality to bang with bigger players.
The Lakers would look to start Herb at shooting guard alongside Luka Doncic in a 6′ 7″ backcourt with great positional size and physicality. Herb Jones would be an ideal backcourt mate for an offense-first Luka Doncic.

For the Pelicans, Austin Reaves would immediately give them the star point guard around which to build as they look towards another major rebuild that could even end up moving Zion Williamson in a blockbuster move.
The Pelicans have several elite defenders but have never been able to find a way to turn them into an elite team defense. That nobody is untouchable is a harsh testament to just how bad things have gotten in New Orleans.

If the Lakers cannot trade for Derrick White, then pivoting to Herb Jones would be a smart move as he could be the perfect backcourt defense-first partner for the Lakers’ offense-first superstar point guard Luka Doncic.

HERB JONES, 6′ 7″, 206 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
10.3 pts, 3.9 rebs, 3.3 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.9 stls in 32.4 mpg
Shooting 8.6/3.6/2.0 shots for 43.6/30.6/82.5%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

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4. Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu

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Finally, 24-year old Atlanta Hawks starting center Onyeka Okongwu could be the one potential starting center worth the Los Angeles Lakers trading Austin Reaves for in a blockbuster one-for-one straight up no picks deal.

Okongwu finally moved into the Hawks’ starting lineup last season, starting 40 games and posting career highs in almost every statistic, posting 13.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 blocks, and 0.9 steals in just 27.9 mpg
Onyeka Okongwu has developed into an elite as well as versatile defensive center who can both protect the rim with his shot blocking as well as defend in space with his ability to move his feet and rotate quickly.

For the Lakers, Okongwu would be the perfect center with the experience and expertise to win with James and Doncic in the short term but also with the raw youth and wide open ceiling to excel with Luka over the long term.
Onyeka is also an excellent vertical lob threat that Luka needs to be the best version of himself and, as a 75% career free throw and 32% 3-point shooter, has been slowly transforming himself into a modern stretch center.

For the Hawks, trading Okongwu could probably only happen if they use one or both of their two first round picks (#13 and #22) to upgrade center position with Derik Queen of Maryland or Maxime Raynaud from France.
There have even been rumors the Hawks might bundle their two first round picks to try and move up to draft Duke center Khaman Maluach. Despite the extension, the Hawks are interested in upgrading center.

Should he become available, Onyeka Okongwu would be a perfect modern two-way center who could help LeBron James and Luka Doncic win a championship and then Luka post-LeBron win multiple championships.

ONYEKA OKONGWU, 6′ 10″, 240 lbs, 24-years old, $15.0M/yr
13.4 pts, 8.9 rebs, 2.3 asts, 0.9 blk, 0.9 stls in 27.9 mpg
Shooting 9.2/2.0/2.9 shots for 56.7/32.4/75.9%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

After their sorry first round exit and the playoff surge by a new guard of younger NBA teams and players, the Lakers must accept their only realistic championship path left will probably require trading Austin Reaves.

Without Austin Reaves, the Lakers simply don’t have enough highly coveted players or draft capital to trade for the elite rim protecting defensive center and the quality point-of-attack perimeter defender they need to contend. The Lakers’ current trading chips include their 2031 first round pick, $40.1 million in Hachimura, Vincent, and Kleber’s expiring contracts, last year’s #17 draft pick Dalton Knecht, and their 2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 pick swaps.

Besides being their most valuable trading chip, Austin Reaves will be eligible to sign a 4-year $89 million extension this summer. Reports are he will decline that offer and seek over $30 million per year as a free agent. While the last thing the Lakers want to do is trade a budding home-grown star on a team friendly contract, their need to optimize LeBron’s last years and to convince Luka to sign an extension may require trading Reaves.

The Lakers will open next year as a team under the first apron. Assuming they send out as much salary as the bring back, they should finish the season under the first apron and be able to use the $14.1 million NT MLE.
For the Lakers need to have room under the first apron player to be able to use the NT MLE, they would need LeBron James would have to accept less than the max salary next season, which is something he offered last year.

The Lakers say they would only trade Reaves for a foundational player. Here are 6 blockbuster Austin Reaves trades the Lakers should seriously consider if they want to create a path to win the championship this year.

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AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

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1. JAREN JACKSON JR.

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Lakers get elite former DPOY as the perfect modern NBA center in Jaren Jackson, Jr., who can stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting and protect the rim with his shot blocking and defend in space with his quickness.

Grizzlies get a budding superstar in Austin Reaves who can shoot the three, playmake for his teammates, and has not yet gotten close to his ultimate ceiling. He is exactly what Memphis needs in a smart, savvy point guard.

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JAREN JACKSON JR, 6′ 10″, 242 lbs, 25-years old, $23.4M/yr
22.2 pts, 5.6 rebs, 2.0 asts, 1.5 blk, 1.2 stls in 29.8 mpg
Shooting 15.4/5.3/5.4 shots for 48.8/37.5/78.1%

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2. WALKER KESSLER & COLLIN SEXTON

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Lakers get the young bruising, rim protecting center in Walker Kessler to pair with Luka Doncic and a young sharp-shooting point guard in Collin Sexton to come off the bench as the team’s 6th man and backup point.

Jazz get best player in the trade in Austin Reaves and the only Lakers player who would tempt Danny Ainge to trade Kessler to the Lakers. Jazz also get L.A.’s unprotected 2031 pick and 1–4 protection off of Lakers 2027 pick.

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COLLIN SEXTON, 6′ 3″, 190 lbs, 26-years old, $19.2M/yr
18.4 pts, 2.7 rebs, 4.2 asts, 0.1 blk, 0.7 stls in 27.9 mpg
Shooting 13.8/4.3/4.0 shots for 48.0/40.6/86.5%

WALKER KESSLER, 7′ 0″, 245 lbs, 23-years old, $4.9M/yr
11.1 pts, 12.2 rebs, 1.7 asts, 2.4 blk, 0.6 stls in 30.0 mpg
Shooting 7.2/0.6/2.6 shots for 68.0/17.6/52.0%

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3. LUGUENTZ DORT

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Lakers get elite two-way point-of-attack defensive guard Luguentz Dort to replace one-way point guard Austin Reaves and pair with Luka Doncic in their backcourt of the future. Dort is also a 40% volume 3-point shooter.

Austin Reaves, much like Alex Caruso, is one of those special players who can survive the Thunders’ deluge of draft picks. Reaves and Dort are due extensions. Reaves’ offense is great fit for OKC as Dort’s defense is for L.A.

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LUGUENNTZ DORT, 6′ 4″, 220 lbs, 26-years old, $17.7M/yr
10.1 pts, 4.1 rebs, 1.6 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.1 stls in 29.2 mpg
Shooting 8.4/5.8/0.6 shots for 43.5/41.2/71.7%

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4. JRUE HOLIDAY

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Lakers get elite two-way point-of-attack defensive guard Jrue Holiday to replace one-way point guard Austin Reaves and pair with Luka Doncic in backcourt. Lakers also get 2 seconds for taking on Jrue’s bad contract.

Austin Reaves gives the Celtics a replacement for point guard Jrue Holiday who’s 8 years younger and $20 million per year cheaper plus an opportunity to save $18.3 million by allowing Rui Hachimura’s big contract to expire.

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JRUE HOLIDAY, 6′ 4″, 205 lbs, 34-years old, $32.4M/yr
11.1 pts, 4.3 rebs, 3.9 asts, 0.4 blk, 1.1 stls in 30.6 mpg
Shooting 9.2/4.9/1.2 shots for 44.3/35.3/90.0%

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5. DENI AVDIJA & ROBERT WILLIAMS III

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Lakers get two-way player Deni Avdija to replace one-way player Rui Hachimura at starting power forward and dynamic but injury prone two-way center Robert Williams III to become L.A.’s new starting center.

Blazers get best player in the trade in Austin Reaves, who would be a perfect mentor for 21-year old Scoot Henderson, and an immediate replacement at power forward for Deni Avdija in Rui Hachimura.

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DENI AVDIJA, 6′ 9″, 240 lbs, 24-years old, $14.4M/yr
16.9 pts, 7.3 rebs, 3.9 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.0 stls in 30.0 mpg
Shooting 11.7/4.8/5.2 shots for 47.6/36.5/78.0%

ROBERT WILLIAMS III, 6′ 9″, 249 lbs, 27-years old, $13.3M/yr
5.8 pts, 5.9 rebs, 1.1 asts, 1.7 blk, 0.7 stls in 17.6 mpg
Shooting 3.9/0.2/0.9 shots for 64.1/33.3/88.2%

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6. JONATHAN ISAAC & GOGA BITADZE

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Lakers get two elite defensive big men who can protect the rim and defend in space in power forward Jonathan Isaac and center Goga Bitadze. Both can play the 4 and 5 and together they would be a great center rotation.

Magic get a second star point guard and 3-point shooter in Austin Reaves and a potentially elite sharp-shooting wing in young Dalton Knecht. Magic would waive Shake Milton as he is just salary filler to make trade work.

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JONATHAN ISAAC, 6′ 10″, 230 lbs, 27-years old, $15.0M/yr
5.4 pts, 4.4 rebs, 0.6 asts, 1.1 blk, 0.9 stls in 15.4 mpg
Shooting 4.6/2.1/1.5 shots for 41.4/25.8/68.2%

GOGA BITADZE, 6′ 10″, 250 lbs, 25-years old, $8.3M/yr
7.2 pts, 6.6 rebs, 2.0 asts, 1.4 blk, 0.7 stls in 20.4 mpg
Shooting 4.8/0.4/1.9 shots for 61.1/10.7/63.9%

In the wake of Kyrie’s injury, Mavs winning draft lottery, and Lakers being punked in first round, Nico Harrison and Rob Pelinka have an opportunity to reimagine the Luka-For-AD trade via a second trade to fix both rosters.

Circumstances have changed dramatically for both the Mavs and Lakers since the infamous Luka-For-AD trade and it’s highly likely that those changes may reopen the door for Nico and Rob to make a second trade. There’s no question, with Kyrie likely out for part or all of next season, the Mavs need to find a starting point guard and there’s also no question the Lakers’ top offseason priority will be to trade for a starting quality center.

Trades in the NBA are about front office relationships as much as matching needs. Nico Harrison and Rob Pelinka have had a long-time relationship that started when Nico was with Nike and Rob was Kobe Bryant’s agent.
So when general managers need something, the tendency is to reach out to other GMs with whom they have a good relationship. Despite the criticism of Nico for trading Luka, he and Rob still have a good working relationship.

While many observers believe the Mavs didn’t get fair value from L.A. when trading Luka Doncic, Nico has been unyielding in his support for the trade and belief that Anthony Davis will be more valuable than Luka Doncic.
Ironically, there are solid reasons Nico and Rob should revisit the Luka-For-AD trade and reimagine it via a second 6-player win-win trade to address the new changes in circumstances and solve both teams’ roster problems.

The proposed second trade would be a straight trade of 3 Mavs players whom the Lakers need for 3 Lakers players whom the Jazz need. The trade would be win-win for both teams and would not include any draft capital.

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NICO AND ROB RE-IMAGINE LUKA-FOR-AD TRADE

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The original Luka-For-AD trade failed to address the Lakers’ obvious need for a quality starting center to replace Anthony Davis or the Mavericks’ need, once Kyrie Irving tore his left ACL, for a quality starting point guard.

Fortunately for both teams, they can easily fix those problems with a 3 for 3 trade where the Mavs get Reaves to cover for the injured Irving while the Lakers get bigger and better on defense with Gafford and Washington.
Drafting Cooper Flagg will probably signal the end of the road for center Daniel Gafford and power forward PJ Washington with the Mavs, as neither are projected to start next season after which they will both become UFA’s.

The Mavericks get the best player in the trade in Austin Reaves, who can replace Kyrie Irving next season. They also receive Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht, two elite 3-point shooters whom the Mavs need for spacing.
The Lakers receive needed front court size in Gafford and Washington plus the return of young shooting guard Max Christie. All three Mavs players would likely be in the Lakers starting lineup with Luka and LeBron.

The second Lakers and Mavericks trade is not only a win-win on its own but also goes a long way towards fixing the original Luka-For-AD trade by solving both teams’ major roster issues without costing any draft capital.
While the Mavs get Austin Reaves, who’s the best player in the trade, the Lakers receive equal value in acquiring center Daniel Gafford and power forward to PJ Washington plus getting team favorite Max Christie back.

Bottom line, Nico and Rob reimagined Luka-For-AD trade so L.A. receives Doncic, Kleber, Morris, Gafford, and Washington while Dallas receives
Davis, Reaves, Hachimura, Knecht, and the Lakers’ 2029 first round pick.

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LOS ANGELES LAKERS’ POST-TRADE DEPTH CHART

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The Lakers’ post-trade revised depth chart now has Luke Doncic starting at point guard, Max Christie at shooting guard, LeBron James at small forward, PJ Washington at power forward, and Daniel Gafford at center.

The re-imagined Luka-For-AD trade has dramatically solved the Lakers front court defensive problems by replacing center Jaxson Hayes with Daniel Gafford and power forward Rui Hachimura with PJ Washington.
With Max Christie returning and replacing Austin Reaves at starting shooting guard, the Lakers have defensively upgraded three of their five starting positions as Nico and Rob re-imagined the Luka-For-AD trade.

Financially, the Lakers remain under the first apron after the trade, which opens up the possibility that they could use the $14.2 million per year NT MLE and the $5.7 million BAE to sign a pair of elite free agents wings.
For the Lakers to have enough cap space under the first apron to use the NT MLE and BAE, LeBron James would have to re-sign with a discount to create enough space under the cap for the Lakers to use their exceptions.

Assuming LeBron was willing to take less so that the Lakers could add two valuable role players to a dramatically improved and balance starting lineup and rotation, the Lakers could catapult themselves to title favorites.
There are going to be some very valuable role players available for the $14.2 million per year NT MLE and the $5.7 million per year BAE. Players are going to be fighting for an opportunity to join a championship team.

If the Rob and Nico can pull off this re-imagining of the Luka-For-AD trade and Pelinka can use the NT MLE and BAE to land another pair of two-way role players, the Lakers will become legitimate championship contenders.

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DALLAS MAVERICKS’ POST-TRADE DEPTH CHART

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The Mavs’ post-trade depth chart has Austin Reaves starting at point until Kyrie returns, Klay Thompson at shooting guard, Cooper Flagg at small forward, Anthony Davis at power forward, and Dereck Lively at center.

Once Kyrie returns, the Mavs starting lineup will revert to Kyrie Irving at the point, Klay Thompson at two guard, rookie Cooper Flagg at small forward, Anthony Davis at power forward, and Dereck Lively at center.
The re-imagined Luka-For-AD trade completely revamped the Mavs’ bench and depth by adding Austin Reaves to back up Kyrie Irving, Dalton Knecht to backup Klay Thompson, and Rui Hachimura to backup Anthony Davis.

The re-imagined Luka-For-AD trade also gives Mavs three elite shooters to create space for Dallas’ new superstar front court in shooting guard Austin Reaves, small forward Dalton Knecht, and power forward Rui Hachimura.
The versatility and offensive firepower Dallas gains by adding Reaves, Hachimura, and Knecht via the second Lakers and Mavs trade is what makes the re-imagined Luka-For-AD trade a legitimate win-win trade.

In fact, there’s an argument to be made that once the offseason dust has settled, the Dallas Mavericks could suddenly become the new favorites to win the 2025–26 NBA Championship rather than the Los Angeles Lakers.
While the re-imagined Luka-For-AD trade solved the Lakers starting center issue and the backcourt defensive problem, Dallas may have benefitted even more than Los Angeles by the second Lakers and Mavericks trade.

Bottom line, re-imagining the Luka-For-AD trade could conceivably leave the Dallas Mavericks with the deepest and most talented starting lineups and rotations in the entire NBA and make them the title favorites.

Heading into the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers need to trade Austin Reaves for an elite defensive guard to pair with Luka Doncic and trade their one available first round pick for a starting center to anchor their defense.

Since trading for a starting center is the Lakers’ top offseason priority, Pelinka has likely set aside either their 2030 or 2031 first round pick to be the likely sweetener in a mega trade for next season’s starting center. That means that the sweetener in a Lakers’ trade for an elite defensive guard to pair with Luka Doncic will have to be their budding young stars, specifically point guard Austin Reaves and small forward Dalton Knecht.

While the Lakers are publicly saying they would not trade Austin Reaves unless it was for a foundational player who could lead to championships, there’s a strong undercurrent that trading Reaves will become necessary. The combination of concern over Austin’s defense, his fit with Luka, and the risk of losing him for nothing to free agency will become even more compelling once summer starts. Ultimately, L.A. will have to trade him.

The question the Los Angeles Lakers need to answer is what is Austin Reaves’ trade value? He’s now a legitimate 20/5/5 player who’s exceeded his purported individual ceiling as a player so many times we’ve lost count.
He’s also shown he can be a dynamic third star on a contending team but can he be the second star on that team? Many were surprised when no teams pursued him as an RFA. Will teams pursue Reaves this time?

What the Lakers want for Austin Reaves is an alpha dog defensive guard who can step right in and be the point-of-attack defender who perfectly complements Luka Doncic and can guard the opposing team’s best scorer.
There are two types of foundational defensive guards for whom the Lakers would trade Reaves. The first is a dynamic young guard who earns around what Reaves makes. The second is an expensive proven All-Pro veteran.

So let’s look at four Austin Reaves trades for a defensive guard to pair with Luka Doncic, including two for an elite young defensive guard with upside and two for a proven older All-Defensive veteran NBA shooting guard.

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1. HAWKS’ DYSON DANIELS

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DYSON DANIELS, 6′ 7″, 199 lbs, 22-years old, $7.8M/yr
14.1 pts, 5.9rebs, 4.4 asts, 0.7blk, 3.0stls in 33.8 mpg
Shooting 12.1/3.1/1.8 shots for 49.3/34.0/59.3%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

Dyson Daniels, the Atlanta Hawks elite defensive guard and league steals leader, is the first of two elite young defensive guards whom the Lakers should try to pry away from their teams in a trade for Austin Reaves.

For the Lakers, Daniels would be the perfect perimeter defensive stud they need to pair with Luka Doncic. His alpha-dog ball-hawking 1-on-1 defense and 6′ 7″ size is exactly what the Lakers need defensively at point-of-attack.
A Lakers backcourt of 6′ 7″ Luke Doncic and 6′ 7″ Dyson Daniels would be a bully ball threat on both offense and defense. Daniels’ pressure defense and versatile offense will quickly make Lakers fans forget about Reaves.

For the Hawks, they need a legitimate second scorer and additional playmaker to help Trae Young. Bringing in a consummate pro like Austin Reaves is also exactly the type of culture the Hawks front office wants.
While Daniels is great on defense, he doesn’t stretch the floor the way that Reaves does or make plays for others. Austin is exactly what the Hawks need, a trustworthy second scorer and playmaker to go with Trae Young.

The Hawks are without a long-term general manager after firing Landry Fields so nobody knows for sure what direction they will be going. Trading the MIPY, All-Defensive first team, and NBA steals leader would be gutsy.
But the opportunity to trade for Austin Reaves, who could be the perfect backcourt mate and co-star Trae Young has never had. It will be interesting to see who takes over the Atlanta front office and the direction they chose.

Austin Reaves to the Hawks and Dyson Daniels to the Lakers would be win-win for both teams. Hawks would get a second star to pair with Trae Young and Lakers would get an elite defensive guard to pair with Luka Doncic.

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2. THUNDER’S LUGUENTZ DORT

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LUGUENNTZ DORT, 6′ 4″, 220 lbs, 26-years old, $17.7M/yr
10.1 pts, 4.1 rebs, 1.6 asts, 0.5 blk, 1.1 stls in 29.2 mpg
Shooting 8.4/5.8/0.6 shots for 43.5/41.2/71.7%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

Luguentz Dort, an elite 3&D defensive guard for the OKC Thunder, is the second of two elite young defensive guards whom the Lakers should try to pry away from their teams in a trade for combo guard Austin Reaves.

For the Lakers, Lu Dort would also be a perfect elite defensive guard and backcourt mate for Luka Doncic. His defensive force is more bully ball and outright physicality than Daniels’ extreme length and hands-on pressure.
One benefit of trading for Dort over Daniels is Lu has developed into a high percentage 3-point shooter, taking almost 6 3-point attempts per game. Like Daniels, Dort would qualify as a foundational defensive piece for the L.A.

For the Thunder, Austin Reaves could be the star offensive player and volume 3-point sharp shooter they don’t currently have other than SGA. Reaves gives them that second offensive star to score or share the ball.
OKC is so deep that they are going to have make decisions about whom they extend and whom they trade as players reach their contract end. Dort will become a free agent after the end of next season. He may be expendable.

The Thunder traded Luguentz Dort for Austin Reaves for the same reason they traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso. They need players who can be stars in their role and contribute to winning on team friendly contract.
OKC still has so many elite draft picks that it forces them to constantly be evaluating both their players and their remaining picks to determine which are long term assets and which are more likely to be moved in trade.

An Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht trade for Luguentz Dort would benefit the Lakers defensively and be great for Luka Doncic while helping the Thunder offensively by giving SGA a trusted second scorer and playmaker.

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3. CELTICS’ JRUE HOLIDAY

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JRUE HOLIDAY, 6′ 4″, 205lbs, 34-years old, $32.4M/yr
11.1 pts, 4.3 rebs, 3.9 asts, 0.4 blk,, 1.1 stls in 30.6 mpg
Shooting 9.2/4.9/1.2 shots for 44.3/35.3/90.9%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

If the Lakers can’t get Dyson Daniels or Luguentz Dort, they should turn their focus to 34-year old, Jrue Holiday, who is still one of the best two-way point guards in the NBA and likely to be available in trade from the Celtics.

For the Lakers, trading for 34-year old Jrue Holiday is a totally different situation than trading for a younger player with a longer timeline. Both the matching salaries to trade and annual cost of payroll are much greater.
What makes the trade still viable for the Lakers is just how well Jrue Holiday can still play at both ends of the court and the fact that the Lakers do want to optimize the championship chances for Luka and LeBron.

The Celtics are projected to have a payroll over $500 million next season, with more than half going towards luxury tax payments. Suddenly, Boston cannot afford $30 million per year to Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
They need to trade those two players for less expensive and easier to move contracts. Boston needs to swap Holiday for a rising young star like Reaves, talented young shooter like Knecht, and expiring contract in Gabe Vincent.

Trading for Jrue Holiday, who makes $32.4 million per year will require Lakers to give up Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, and Dalton Knecht. Reaves and Knecht are young stars under contract while Vincent is expiring.
Once Vincent’s contract expires, the Celtics will have turned Holiday’s $32.4 million per year salary into Reaves and Knecht’s $17.9 million per year. That’s a cut in salaries of 14.5 million per year or a 45% reduction in pay.

For the Lakers, it’s a chance to take advantage of the Celtics‘ financial ’downsizing to trade for an All-NBA defensive guard who would be the perfect backcourt mate for superstar point guard Luka Doncic.

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4. CELTICS’ DERRICK WHITE

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DERRICK WHITE, 6′ 4″, 190 lbs, 30-years old, $28.1M/yr
16.4 pts, 4.5 rebs, 4.8 asts, 1.1 blk, 0.9 stls in 33.9 mpg
Shooting 12.6/9.1/2.1 shots for 44.2/38.4/83.9%

AUSTIN REAVES, 6′ 5″, 197 lbs, 26-years old, $13.9M/yr
20.2 pts, 4.5 rebs, 5.8 asts, 0.3 blk, 1.1 stls in 34.9 mpg
Shooting 14.2/7.3/5.0 shots for 46.0/37.7/87.7%

The other proven elite veteran defensive guard the Lakers should consider if they can’t land one of their younger, less expensive targets is the other Celtics starting guard Derrick White, who could be part of salary dump.

For the Lakers, White is three years younger and $4 million less per year than Holiday although the 3rd year on his deal will cost $19 million more. While White is probably better offensively, Holiday is the better defender.
Holiday is going to be moved no matter what while White’s future is not known for sure. He’s younger than Jrue and one of the few legitimate 3&D guards in the league who has a knack for coming up big in big moments.

For the Celtics, the owners knew when they assembled this team, won a ring, and then sold the team to new ownership that the great roster they had build was simply unsustainable financially under the current CBA.
All-Defensive NBA first team guards rarely become available for trade. Trading White for Reaves could be the perfect way for Boston to downsize their payroll while possibly upgrading their offense and 3-point shooting.

The bigger question is what is Austin Reaves ceiling as a player, because that will determine his value. Right now, he is not being valued as a legitimate 20/5/5 player despite having done so as the team’s 3rd option.
But 26-year old undrafted white players who are not exceptionally athletic are rarely given an opportunity to get dramatically better or even paid as much as their numbers and play says they should in the modern NBA.

If the Lakers want to trade for a proven elite veteran defensive guard to pair with Luka Doncic but want to avoid 34-year old Jrue Holiday, then Derrick White, the Celtics’ other elite defensive guard could be the right answer.