Lakerholics

The Lakers’ Zach LaVine trade will not end up like the Russell Westbrook trade because LaVine’s a better player and fit than Russ and L.A. won’t agree to any deal unless Chicago’s appropriately desperate to dump Zach.

Two years ago, the Lakers traded Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and the 22 pick in 2021 draft to the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook and their 2024 and 2028 second round picks.
Essentially, the Lakers gave up two starters, one backup, and one first round pick for Westbrook and two second round picks. While L.A. missed Kuzma and KCP, the core issue with the trade was Westbrook’s poor fit.

Ultimately, the decision to trade for Zach LaVine will depend on whether the Lakers believe he is the right fit for what they need and whether the Bulls are willing to accept the players and draft capital being offered.
Right now, it appears the Bulls’ first priority is dumping LaVine before other pieces and it appears the Lakers are interested but only at the right price, which makes sense considering the Bulls don’t have other options.

Pelinka’s done a great job rebuilding Lakers after the Westbrook disaster and has the team well positioned with tradable players on team friendly contracts and a post-LeBron pick just waiting for opportunity to knock.
The Lakers don’t have player chips or draft capital to trade for a legitimate superstar like Doncic or Jokic so they must be realistically opportunistic when a struggling team like the Bulls needs to dump LaVine’s huge salary.

Let’s take a deeper dive into why Zach LaVine is a better player and fit for the Lakers than Russell Westbrook, what an acceptable Lakers/Bulls trade would look like, and how good the Lakers’ roster and rotation would be.

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Zach LaVine Is Not Russell Westbrook

Let’s start with the obvious: Zach LaVine is not Russell Westbrook, whose poor ball shot selection, inane ball security, and abysmal shooting made him a terrible fit next to superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Four years younger than Russ was when traded to L.A., the 28-year old LaVine is a better fit as a third star on the Lakers than Russ was because his elite 3-point shooting gravity could unleash superstars James and Davis.
Zach LaVine gives the Lakers an All-Star shooting guard who can give the starting lineup 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists per game to make the team less dependent on soon-to-be 39-years old superstar LeBron James.

LaVine’s a career 38.2% high-volume 3-point shooter who averaged over 37.5% on 7 to 8 attempts per game over last four seasons before getting off to a slow start this season and shooting just 33.6% from deep.
The Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis desperately need an elite high volume, high percentage 3-point shooter whom teams have to defend who can create space for James and Davis to attack the rim.

Unlike Westbrook, LaVine possesses the right shooting, playmaking, and rebounding skills to fit in as the Lakers’ third star with James and Davis and then move on as the second star with Davis when James eventually retires. Fortunately for the Lakers, they already probably know what LaVine is willing to do to fit in with the Lakers because of their close relationship with Klutch Sports Group, who’re the agents for James, Davis, and LaVine.

A Lakers trade for LaVine was predicted when Zach signed with Klutch Sports Group in 2021. With the right mindset and mentality, Zach could become the uber-athletic long-range assassin the Lakers have long coveted

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An Acceptable Lakers/Bulls Trade

The trade Lakers’ reporter Eric Pincus thinks is ‘most practical’ for the Lakers sends D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and a lightly protected 2029 first round draft pick to the Bulls for Zach LaVine.

What makes the trade work for the Lakers despite LaVine’s $40.0 million salary this season and the $178.1 million remaining on his 4-year contract, is they’re only giving up two rotation players and one first round pick.
Because of the size of LaVine’s contract and lack of competing teams, the Lakers shouldn’t be willing to give up Austin Reaves or include pick swaps. If they need a sweetener, include Max Christie and a couple of seconds.

Giving up just two rotation players means the Lakers will lose a net of one rotation player when they trade Zach LaVine for rotation players D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura plus non-rotation players Hood-Schifino.
That would let L.A. retain a deep 11-man rotation with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Zach LaVine, Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Taurean Prince, Christian Wood, and Jaxson Hayes.

Strategically, the Lakers know there will be a risk trading for LaVine. The money could seriously limit future options. LaVine’s also injury prone like James and Davis and he could run into problems fitting with the Lakers. Hopefully, salary cap increases will normalize Zach’s contract, he and the rest of the team will remain healthy, and the fit with the Lakers will be seamless and complement and unleash LeBron and AD to be their best.

Zach LaVine is not Russell Westbrook. If the Bulls are willing to trade Zach LaVine for D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and a 2029 first round pick, that’s an gamble the Lakers should not pass up.

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Post-Trade Starting Lineup & Rotation

The key to a successful trade for Zach LaVine is the Lakers ending up with a dramatically upgraded starting lineup and still being able to field a deep and diverse 10 or 11-man rotation despite paying for three max superstars.

A Lakers’ starting lineup with LeBron James at point guard, Zach LaVine at shooting guard, Cam Reddish at small forward, Jarred Vanderbilt at power forward, and Anthony Davis at center could be among the best in the NBA.
James, Davis, and LaVine give the Lakers’ starting lineup a trio of lethal offensive weapons while Reddish and Vanderbilt give them a duo of lock-down point-of-attack defenders to throw at opposing teams’ backcourts.

Bench depth and diversity matter. Post-trade, the Lakers primary backups would be Gabe Vincent at the one, Austin Reaves at the two, Taurean Prince at the three, Christian Wood at the four, and Jaxson Hayes at the five.
The Lakers would also have Max Christie, who at best could work his way into the rotation and at worst be insurance in case some player got injured, and they have an edge over other contenders in signing buyout candidates.

If there’s concern about the Lakers’ post-trade roster, it’s that the Lakers have four key players in Reddish, Prince, Wood, and Hayes for whom they don’t have Bird rights and could easily lose to free agency next summer. Fortunately, the Lakers have developed a reputation as the best landing spot for struggling free agents looking to redeem their games and brands playing with James and Davis under the bright lights of Los Angeles.

Zach LaVine is a better fit as a third star for the Los Angeles Lakers than Russell Westbrook was because he’s a career 38.2% 3-point shooter whose 4 rebounds and assists per game would reduce dependence on LeBron James

No gesture says more about on-court domination without a technical for taunting than offensive players making the ‘too small’ gesture after taking advantage of their size and length to easily score on a smaller defender.

While the Lakers hope to improve their 3-point shooting, their strength is their ability to win the points-in-paint (PIP) and made-free-throws (MFT) battles by more than they lose their negative 3-point shooting differential.
That’s the formula the Lakers used to make the conference finals last season after a poor 2–10 start but have struggled to execute this year until they went big and started 6′ 8″ Cam Reddish at shooting guard for 6 games.

Before the inserting Reddish in the starting lineup for Reaves, the Lakers were generating only +9.9 points per game from PIP and MFT, which did not cover their -12.0 points per game negative 3-point shooting differential.
With Reddish starting at shooting guard for 6 games, the Lakers outscored their opponents by +15.8 points per game from PIP and MFT, which easily was enough to beat the -10.5 points per game 3-point shooting differential.

The Lakers under Rob Pelinka and Darvin Ham have a unique opportunity to build a deep, talented, defense-first roster that possesses legitimate, actionable size, length, and physicality advantages at all five positions.
Pundits have long visualized the ‘ultimate’ NBA starting lineup as five 6′ 8″ to 6′ 10″ long, athletic players who could dominate the paint and glass at both ends. That may be exactly what Ham and the Lakers are trying to do.

Here are the three roster moves Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham needs to make to create a Lakers’ version of the ‘ultimate’ starting lineup that possesses dominating size, length, and physicality advantages at all five positions.

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1st Move — Start Jarred Vanderbilt Next to Cam Reddish

The first move Ham should make to improve the Lakers’ positional size is starting 6′ 9″ Jarred Vanderbilt at the three once healthy and pairing him with 6′ 8″ Cam Reddish to create a starting duo of elite wing defenders.

While Vando’s been approved to begin physical contact and ramping up to return to the team’s rotation, there’s a growing consensus he will replace Taurean Prince as the starting small forward sometime in the near future.
With Cam Reddish starting at shooting guard and Jarred Vanderbilt at small forward, the Lakers would essentially have two elite wing starters with the size and length to ably defend opposing high-scoring guards and forwards.

Starting 6′ 8″ Reddish and 6′ 9″ Vanderbilt would represent Darvin Ham and the Los Angeles Lakers doubling down on their identity as a defense-first team who dominates paint and glass with elite positional size and length. While there’ll be pressure on Reddish and Vanderbilt to be able to shoot a respectable percentage from three, both should be able to take advantage of their superior size and length to dominate smaller defenders offensively.

Turning Reddish and Vanderbilt into an elite point-of-attack perimeter defensive pair who can slow down the bigger high-scoring guards and wings that dominate the West is a championship development for L.A.
Cam and Vando give the Lakers a defensive duo to match up with the top offensive duos in the league like the Mavs’ Luka and Kyrie, Suns’ Booker and KD, Warriors’ Steph and Klay, or Pacers’ Haliburton and Mathurin.

The Lakers are excited about the idea of having their two best perimeter defenders in their starting lineup alongside Anthony Davis. It’s a huge move that doubles down on their identity for defense and physicality.

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2nd Move — Start LeBron James at Point Guard

Starting Cam Reddish and Jarred Vanderbilt gives the Lakers positional size advantages at shooting guard and small forward and also opens a unique opportunity for the Lakers to go big at point guard with 6′ 8″ LeBron James.

The only reason the Lakers don’t start James at the point guard is they don’t want him defending smaller and quicker point guards, an objection that’s easily eliminated by having Reddish or Vando defend the opposing guards. While many Laker lineups already have LeBron playing point on offense and small or power forward on defense, the next step is embracing starting James at point guard to create positional size advantage at that position.

The NBA is a guard and wing driven league and most offensive firepower is focused on the point guard, shooting guard, and small forward positions since they play on on the perimeter and have the ball in their hands more. Few NBA teams have high-powered scorers at all three of these positions, which mean the Lakers could have Reddish and Vanderbilt defend the opponent’s two best scorers while James defends their weakest scorer.

Starting 6′ 8″ LeBron James at the one, 6′ 8″ Cam Reddish at the two, and 6′ 9″ Jarred Vanderbilt at the three would give the Lakers an advantage in perimeter size, length, and athleticism for all three positions at both ends.
The James/Reddish/Vanderbilt starting lineup could force opposing teams to go big or risk being dominated by Lakers’ size, length, and athleticism. Teams could find it hard to score upon or stop this lineup from scoring.

While the Lakers have been trying for three years to reduce the playmaking workload on LeBron James, the smartest thing the Lakers could do right now could be to go super big and start 6′ 8″ LeBron James at point guard.

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3rd Move — Start Christian Wood Next to Anthony Davis

Now that L.A. has gone big at both the guards and small forward positions, Darvin Ham needs to finish the big starting lineup makeover by moving Anthony Davis to power forward and starting Christian Wood at center.

Moving LeBron James to point guard, opens up a starting spot to pair a second big with Anthony Davis. Because Reddish and Vanderbilt are not proven dead-eye 3-point shooters, the Lakers need a stretch second big.
The two candidates with the size and length and 3-point shooting gravity to be the Lakers’ second big are 6′ 8″ Christian Wood and Rui Hachimura. Wood has produced the 2nd best plus/minus on the team and is best fit.

Christian Wood also has a team best +7.6 NetRtg playing next to Anthony Davis. Much of the team’s success early in the season was the result of complementary two-bigs lineups with Chris Wood and Anthony Davis.
Wood is also part of four of the five top rated Lakers’ five-man lineups that have played together for more than 10 minutes this season. The stats and the eye test both say Christian as the ideal second big to play with AD.

As the Lakers approach December 15, there’s also a chance Pelinka will trade some of the Lakers 12-deep roster to upgrade their 10-man rotation and improve their chances of finally winning their 18th championship.
Pelinka will certainly be watching how the Pacers, Timberwolves, and Jazz do since Myles Turner, Karl-Anthony Towns, or Lauri Markkanen would be perfect upgrades over Christian Wood, whom L.A. will lose to free agency.

Wood’s ability to shoot from all three levels creates spacing for Davis to offensively dominate in the paint and at the rim while his elite length and mobility enable him both to protect the rim and switch on the perimeter.

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Why Lakers’ Super Big Lineup Could Be Juggernaut

The Lakers’ super big starting lineup boasts five tall, long, and athletic players from 6′ 8″ and 6′ 10″ with wingspans greater than 7′ whose size and length advantages can dominate the paint and glass at all five positions.

What the Lakers super big lineup provides is three difference-making enhancements over the team’s current starting lineup: LeBron James playing point guard, two elite wing defenders, two elite big scorers.
Each improvement alone represents a major upgrade of the Lakers’ starting lineup. Combined, they represent a transformation that could turn the Lakers new super big starting lineup a juggernaut at both ends.

Remember when LeBron James kept telling Darvin Ham that he could play the point? With Cam and Vando defending the opposing team’s best guards and wings, the Lakers can literally unleash LeBron James to play the one. Surrounding James with elite 3-point shooters was the old school solution to optimizing the King. The Lakers’ new school path to optimizing LeBron is surrounding him with championship size, length, and athleticism.

Offensively, the Lakers’ super big starting lineup will be heavily dependent upon LeBron James’ and Christian Wood’s 3-point shooting but should be totally dominant when it comes to winning the key PIP and MFT battles. Defensively, teams are going to find it very difficult to score on the Lakers’ new super big lineup, whose size, length, and physicality is going to shrink the court and make it very difficult for offenses to create spacing to shoot.

The Lakers have a unique opportunity to create a championship caliber super big starting lineup with five 6′ 8″ to 6′ 10″ players who would have size, length, and physicality advantages at all five positions on the court.

Since Lakers’ head coach Darvin Ham started Cam Reddish instead of Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers have won 4 of their last 5 games to turn a worrisome 3–5 start into a 7–6 record and 7th place in the West.

Ham’s moves not only put to bed any concerns the Lakers were going to suffer a repeat of last season’s disastrous 2–10 start but also rekindled early optimism L.A. could legitimately compete with a healthy James and Davis.
Right now, the Los Angeles Lakers have the 5th best odds to win the 2024 NBA championship, trailing the Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns and slightly ahead of the Golden State Warriors.

Still waiting for two key rotation players in Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent to return from injuries, the Lakers have 7 more games left this month until the 20-game quarter pole in the long 82-game NBA season.
The Lakers need to go at least 5–2 over these next 7 games to finish the first fourth of the season with a 12–8 record, which would give them a 60% win percentage, likely good enough to move into top-6 West playoff teams.

Let’s take a look at how Darvin Ham’s moves with Cam Reddish and Austin Reaves refocused the Lakers offensively and defensively and turned around what had the potential to become a second straight disastrous season start.

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How Darvin Ham’s Moves Turned Lakers’ Season Around

Since starting Reddish and benching Reaves, the Lakers have been a different team, winning 4 of their last 5 games and turning a rough 3–5 start into a 7–6 record and 7th place in the Western Conference.

There’s no question pressure was starting to mount on second year Lakers’ head coach Darvin Ham not to allow the team to get off to a second straight disastrous start to the season as the 3–5 Lakers were 11th place in the West.
While a change in starters was expected, Ham opted to start Cam Reddish and move Austin Reaves to the bench, a move that surprised everybody as most anticipated Russell, not Reaves, being the player to go to the bench.

Before swapping Reddish and Reaves, the Lakers 106.6 Offrtg was 28th, their 113.8 Defrtg 19th, and their -7.2 Netrtg 27th out of 30 NBA teams. That changed once Ham started Reddish and moved Reaves to the bench.
Suddenly, the Lakers played dramatically better at both ends of the court. In the 5 games since the change, the Lakers 117.1 Offrtg was 11th, their 110.5 Defrtg 8th, and their +6.6 Netrtg 8th out of 30 teams in league.

Over this 5-game stretch, the Lakers’ 51.3% FG% ranked 2nd, their 43.9% 3P% ranked 1st, their 36.2 Drb/gm 2nd, their 8.8 Stl/gm 8th, their 6.6 Blk/gm 2nd, their 27.2 FTA/gm 5th, and their +6.6 Plus/Minus 8th.
The biggest impact of the change, however, could be how it unleashed LeBron James, whose team-best 124.9 Offrtg, 109.9 Defrtg, and team-best +15.1 Netrtg were the Lakers’ difference maker the last 5 games.

Bottom line, Ham’s move to go big at shooting guard by starting Reddish and keeping Russell at point while moving Reaves to the bench as team’s sixth man refocused the Lakers on winning offensively and defensively.

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How Reddish Starting Revitalized Lakers’ Starting Lineup

Since becoming a starter 5 games ago, Cam Reddish has averaged 13.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 2.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game with a +6.8 plus/minus, second best to only LeBron James’ +8.8.

Ham’s decision to start Cam Reddish at shooting guard, a position he hadn’t played since the first two of his four years in the league, was a major reason why the Lakers suddenly began playing better at both ends of the court.
His 2.8 steals per game was 4th best in the league during the last 5 games and showcased how Cam’s 6′ 8″ height and 7′ 1″ wingspan and aggressive point-of-attack defense suddenly transformed the Lakers’ backcourt.

But Cam Reddish’s impact was not just limited to the defensive side of the ball. Over the past 5 games, Cam scored the 4th most points with shooting splits of 53.3% from the field, 52.2% from deep, and 81.8% from the line.
He showed he could not only score from all three levels but do so with athleticism and efficiency. During the last 5 games, Reddish posted a high 118.1 Offrtg, low 107.0 Defrtg, and team second best +11.1 Netrtg.

Ham’s trust and belief in Reddish has both given Cam an opportunity he just didn’t have or wasn’t ready to take advantage of with previous teams. Darvin Ham desperately needed to a spark and starting Reddish lit a fire.
It also previewed a bigger and better defensive starting lineup that could prevent the Lakers from always losing the first quarter and falling behind by double digits and restore their paint points and free throw dominance.

While many Lakers analysts see him as merely a placeholder in the starting lineup for the injured Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish shows solid signs that he should be the long-term starter and Taurean Prince the placeholder.

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How Reaves Playing Sixth Man Revitalized Lakers’ Bench

The move by Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham to move young Austin Reaves to the bench as the team’s sixth man was designed to give the starting lineup more size and defense and the bench better shooting and playmaking.

Before moving to the bench, Austin was averaging 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 32.0 minutes per game while shooting 41.6% from the field, 27.8% from deep, and 80.8% from the free throw line.
Since coming off the bench the last 5 games, Reaves has averaged 13.0 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists in 28.9 minute per game while shooting 47.8% from the field, 47.1% from deep, and 81.3% from the line.

There were a lot of reasons why Darvin Ham was smart to move Austin Reaves to the bench rather than D’Angelo Russell, who might not have accepted the move with the right spirit, including getting him going.
Before Reaves went to the bench, the Lakers were averaging 24.3 bench points per game. After moving Austin to the bench, the Lakers raised their bench points per game to 31.4, which ranked 20th among 30 NBA teams.

Whether Reaves continues to come off the bench will depend on what the Lakers do at the trade deadline. The Lakers are currently looking at the possibility of trading for Chicago Bulls superstar two guard Zach LaVine. Should the Lakers trade for LaVine, their package would likely include D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, and Jalen Hood-Schifino to match salaries and the Lakers lightly protected 2029 first round pick.

In that scenario, the Austin Reaves could conceivable become the starting point guard in an upgraded Lakers’ backcourt with Zach LaVine. Bottom line, Austin Reaves move to the bench could end up being just temporary.

The smartest move the Los Angeles Lakers could make this midseason is not to sacrifice depth for a third superstar but instead double down on size and defense as their championship identity by trading for Myles Turner.

The Lakers have clearly seen how playing next to a modern stretch five center like Christian Wood unlocks the best possible version of Anthony Davis as a superstar and makes the team more competitive and dangerous.
Rather than gamble on a better fitting and more complementary version of Russell Westbrook, the Lakers would be smarter to trade for Myles Turner and a deep and diverse roster as their path to more NBA championships.

Darvin Ham has already shown his hand with respect to size and defense at the two guard position, where the defensive oriented 6′ 7″ Cam Reddish or 6′ 9′ Jarred Vanderbilt are projected to become the starting shooting guard. The next logical step is to trade for stretch five center Myles Turner and move Anthony Davis and LeBron James to the four and three. That would give the Lakers great positional size advantage at almost every position.

Trading for Pacer’s center Myles Turner and doubling down on size and defense as the keys to winning in today’s NBA and establishing the bully ball physicality and identity the Lakers want for their basketball team.

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THE TRADE

While the Pacers have gotten off to a 6–4 start to the season with an offense performing at an unsustainable level and a defense that sucks, chances are high they’ll become sellers rather than buyers by the middle of December.

While the Lakers can offer a package of young players under 30 to match salaries, any trade for Myles Turner will require significant draft capital from the Lakers, in the form of at least a lightly protected pick and swaps.
In addition to their top-5 protected 2029 first round pick, the Lakers could also include their 2027 first round pick if first through fourth and pick swaps for their 2028 and 2020 first round draft picks in a Turner package.

With the great play of Tyrese Haliburton and a bevy of talented players under 23-years old, the Pacers hope to be good enough to make the play-in tournament this season. If those aspirations fail, the Pacers will be sellers. The Pacers do have two coveted veterans in 27-year old center Myles Turner and 30-year old elite 3-point shooter Buddy Hield, whose time to be sold high for top dollars in return for draft capital may have finally come.

The Pacers need young players who can defend and a deal to acquire three valuable young prospects and one or two post-LeBron James first round picks or swaps from the Lakers could happen as soon as December 15th.

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THE DEPTH CHART

The immediate impact of trading for Myles Turner is the Los Angeles Lakers will suddenly have the biggest and best defensive starting lineup and deepest and most diverse 10-player rotation in the entire league.

The Lakers’ starting lineup of D’Angelo Russell, Cam Reddish, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Myles Turner would have positional size advantage that few teams in the NBA would be able to match or counter.
The Lakers would have a starting lineup that’s bigger, longer, and more athletic than any other team and physically capable of totally dominating opposing teams in the paint, on the boards, and from the free throw line.

The Lakers’ primary backups of Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Christian Wood, and Jaxson Hayes could be the deepest and most diverse bench and anchor the best 10-man rotation in the league.
The Lakers would have everything needed to cruise in the regular season and peak in the playoffs. Two elite rim protectors. Two elite stretch bigs. Two elite point-of-attack perimeter defenders. Two elite playmakers.

Trading for Indiana Pacers’ center Myles Turner is the ultimate move by the Los Angeles Lakers to build what could be the NBA’s next generation defense with major positional size and length advantage at most positions.

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THE SALARY CAP

While the Lakers sacrificed valuable draft capital to acquire Myles Turner, they have actually improved their salary cap position because they now possess over $70 million in coveted players on team friendly contracts.

Have players that other teams covet on under market contracts will enable the Lakers to take advantage of star players suddenly becoming available. Trade assets include Turner, Russell, Hachimura, Reaves, and Vanderbilt.
Assuming the Lakers did not give up more than their 2029 first round pick and the 2027 first round pick if it’s top-4, they should then have enough draft capital next summer to offer at least 1 first round pick and 2 swaps.

For the second year in a row, the Lakers have also remained below both luxury tax thresholds thanks to negotiating under market contracts with many of their players and attracting talented players on minimum deals.
The Lakers success with minimum contract projects like Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and Cam Reddish — the 8th, 9th, and 10th picks in the 2019 draft — is the only reason the Lakers can afford to trade for Myles Turner.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ trade for Myles Turner would not only make them a championship defensive team but also leave them with great depth and enough draft capital to make a blockbuster deal to replace LeBron James.

The Los Angeles Lakers may have an opportunity to pull off a blockbuster trade before the deadline to acquire superstar shooting guard Zach LaVine and elite point-of-attack point guard Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls.

Emergence of potential super teams in Boston, Milwaukee, and Phoenix and slow starts by the Lakers and Bulls have led to rumors of a possible midseason trades between the two teams focused on LaVine and Caruso.
For a LaVine/Caruso trade to become viable, the Bulls would have to decide before the trade deadline that it was time to rebuild and the Lakers that this season was time to go all-in with their remaining tradable draft capital.

The Lakers want to have their cake and eat it too, walking an impossible tightrope trying win another title before LeBron retires while also building a roster that’s deep and talented enough to contend once James is gone.
One thing about the Lakers is they never forget stars win championships. There’s no Sophie’s Choice for the Lakers over a third star vs. deep roster. The Lakers need a third star so they’ll still have two when Lebron’s gone.

So let’s look at what a Lakers and Bulls trade for Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso might look like, what kind of depth the Lakers would still have after the trade, and how the trade might affect the Lakers salary cap position.

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The Trade

Trading for Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso could transform the Lakers into legitimate championship contenders and secure a third superstar who’s the perfect fit to replace LeBron James and be Anthony Davis’ co-superstar.

Just as importantly, the trade leaves the Lakers with a dramatically better starting lineup and deep and diverse 10-man championship level rotation. LaVine’s their new offensive closer and Caruso their new defensive stopper.
At 28 and 29-years old, Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso are excellent fits for the 30-year old Anthony Davis’ championship window. They suddenly give the Lakers a massive backcourt upgrade in a league dominated by guards.

The Lakers would have to include D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jalen Hood-Schifino to match salaries and their 2029 first round pick and possible pick swaps to tempt Chicago to make the trade.
While I hate losing Hachimura, LaVine and Casuso definitely provide the Lakers with the superstar offensive scorer and All-NBA defensive stopper the team needs to take their game to the next level and win the title.

Even if the Lakers have to include a pick swap or two, trading for LaVine and Caruso could be the most important move Rob Pelinka and the Lakers could make to win their 18th championship and replace LeBron James.

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The Depth Chart

The major challenge for any NBA team with more than two max contract superstars is how to build a roster deep and diverse enough to win when most of the remaining rotation players will be on minimum salaries?

Not only do Caruso, LaVine, James, Davis, and Hayes as starters have more offensive firepower and defensive tenacity than the Lakers’ current starters but Reaves, Reddish, Vanderbilt, Prince, and Wood give them great depth.
The addition of LaVine gives the Lakers a legitimate backcourt superstar, something L.A. especially needs in a guard and wing driven league. Zach gives them their first true championship caliber closer since Kobe Bryant.

Strategically, the Lakers would be smart to make a move sooner rather than later to replace LeBron James. In fact, not only does that give them more time with three superstars but could also motivate LeBron to keep playing.
Meanwhile, getting Alex Caruso back is not only the cherry atop the trade but also the perfect defensive counter to Zach LaVine’s offense. How about a Caruso, Reddish, Vanderbilt, Prince, and Davis defensive ‘Death Lineup.’

The Lakers’ depth chart clearly shows that the team has a dramatically better and more balance starting lineup and 10-man rotation after the trade for Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso. Bottom line, trade is worth draft capital.

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The Salary Cap

The Lakers were able to trade for Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso and still remain below the first luxury tax threshold and hard tax, which is a tribute to Rob Pelinka and the Lakers’ salary cap expertise and management.

Being able to build a deep, diverse, and talented roster with the cap space left over after paying max salaries to three superstars is not an easy task that requires a front office adept at finding great players at bargain prices.
What’s allowed the Lakers to trade for Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso and still keep a strong 10-man rotation are the important roles and minutes earned by minimum salary project players Wood, Reddish, and Hayes.

The Lakers did a great job cleaning up their salary cap and have a strong portfolio of coveted players on team friendly contracts and three potential post-LeBron James first round picks or swaps to offer for a third superstar. Unlike other super teams who’ve sacrificed roster depth and diversity for more three or more superstars, the Lakers could still trade for a third star, build a deep diverse roster, and avoid the NBA’s two luxury tax thresholds.

After trading for LaVine and Caruso, the Lakers would have a clean cap free of luxury taxes and the flexibility to trade for or sign a third superstar in free agency once LeBron leaves in free agency or retires from the NBA.