Bold NBA Offseason Predictions: What’s Next for Trae Young

Bold NBA Offseason Predictions: What's Next for Trae Young, Jimmy Butler and PG13 https://t.co/4sW1ye9Pp5

— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 11, 2024

Lakers Do Not Trade for Trae Young

Trae Young winding up on the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the loudest and most persistent rumors in the NBA for months.

The logic is pretty simple. Young is a star. He didn’t fit well with Dejounte Murray for the last two seasons. The Lakers went out in the first round, and they’ve historically loved to go star-hunting.

There’s certainly a world in which Young in L.A. would work. He’s one of the game’s most dynamic offensive engines and pick-and-roll ball-handlers. He and Anthony Davis could form a potent one-two punch that could potentially grow beyond LeBron James’ eventual retirement.

But the Lakers just got bullied by the bigger Denver Nuggets in the playoffs. The Nuggets are now getting bullied by the even bigger Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round. It’s hard to watch this postseason and think the answer to L.A.’s problems is to get smaller and more offense-first.

The Lakers’ front office has made a number of head-scratching moves since Rob Pelinka took over, but it presumably notices the trend as well.

L.A. already has plenty of offense and shot creation from LeBron, AD and Austin Reaves. It was fourth in the NBA in points per 100 possessions after the All-Star break.

What it needs is perimeter defense and some bruising bigs who can spare Davis from some of the punishment that comes from playing center.