Trae Young to Lakers is a blockbuster trade that needs to happen this offseason according to ESPN

It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to acquire a third star to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis this offseason. One such star that has been mentioned quite often is Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young. The Hawks are likely going to undergo a roster shakeup this offseason and that means that in all likelihood, the backcourt of Young and Dejounte Murray is going to be split this offseason.

If Young is made available (I still don’t think he actually will be), the Lakers are sure to be interested. In a recent article on ESPN, Chris Herring (who does a great job covering the league) wrote that Young to the Lakers is a move that needs to happen this offseason:

“If Los Angeles loses James and replaces him with George, who has decided to handle the ball less, the Lakers would do well to find someone who wouldn’t hesitate to handle it more.

Young, as someone who shared ball-handling responsibility with Dejounte Murray the past two seasons in Atlanta, fits that bill. Its effectiveness may decrease; especially deep, but he’s also a playmaker whose penetration would create easy looks for Davis, who would immediately become the best big Young has ever played with. You can already imagine how confused defenders will be trying to decipher Young-Davis’ pick-and-rolls and determine whether Young is shooting floaters — he ranked in the 98th percentile in the league, per Second Spectrum, in terms of how often it attempted. them – or throwing lobs for Davis.

That said: Young is not a free agent. Acquiring him would mean the Lakers would decide to part with draft picks and a handful of very solid players: guard Austin Reaves, forward Rui Hachimura and one of Gabe Vincent or Jarred Vanderbilt.

Russell, who the club held on to until the trade deadline when he was in the midst of the hottest shooting stretch of his career, would have to opt out for Young to become a Laker.

When it comes to the Laker’s trade goals this offseason, Young was recently listed as the most realistic by Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey:

“After being eliminated in the first round, it seems clear that the Los Angeles Lakers need to do something to get closer to the level that contenders like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder are at.

And the most obvious move to make that happen is the long-rumored Trae Young deal.

Young’s trade value might be a bit lower than expected, which could mean Los Angeles’ offer (two or three role players, including Austin Reaves, and a few picks) might be enough for Atlanta to give up on him.

Of course, Young’s playmaking and shooting don’t make the Lakers bigger or better defensively. These are probably their biggest needs, but the commercial market does not have any players capable of checking these boxes at present. »

The Atlanta Hawks are facing one of the biggest offseasons in the NBA and that was true even before landing the No. 1 pick. The Hawks have a ton of options in front of them, but the biggest question remains what they will do with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Since the trade for Murray in the summer of 2022, the results have been disappointing. Atlanta was eliminated in the first round against the Boston Celtics last season, then lost in the play-in tournament to the Chicago Bulls this season. Many expect the Hawks to make a move, but which point guard will they trade and where will they trade them?

Atlanta was shopping Murray up until the trade deadline this season and one of the teams interested in Murray was the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are looking for a star to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but it might not be Murray they’re looking for. There have been rumors that they are on Young and would like to trade for him this summer. Since Young left Klutch Sports and joined CAA, some of these discussions have diminished.

When considering a potential trade, it’s hard to get excited if you’re the Hawks about what the Lakers could offer outside of some draft picks. Austin Reaves is an intriguing player, but shouldn’t be the centerpiece of a deal for a player of Trae Young’s caliber. I don’t think this is the kind of trade the Hawks should make. The picks are too far in the future and with Young on the Lakers, it at least gives them a high floor where they won’t be among the worst teams in the league, making those picks less valuable. Reaves and Hachimura would just be role players alongside Murray and whoever the Hawks select at No. 1. There’s a lot of talk about it, but I don’t think the Lakers’ trade offer for Young is that attractive, but we don’t Don’t talk about it. about as much.

On ESPN’s Get Up after the Lakers’ playoff loss, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst discussed Young as a trade target for the Lakers this offseason.

“There are opportunities for them, not necessarily in free agency, but via trade. They will have up to three first-round picks that they can trade, starting on draft night, including the first-round pick of this year if they want and they have some pieces on their roster that they can use in trade Now which player would it be Well we will have to see what happens with the players. stars at the end of the season in the league This is Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks The Hawks could look to split their backcourt of Young and Dejounte Murray. This season Trae is the type of player that will interest several teams. If the Hawks decide to make a move, I’m not sure he solves a lot of the Lakers’ problems, perimeter defense was a problem for the. Lakers this season and in this series, that’s something Trae is not going to do. “

This summer is shaping up to be a potentially wild one in the NBA and the Hawks could be at the center of it no matter who they decide to trade.