3 best Lakers trades using No. 17 pick in 2024 NBA Draft

06/26/2024 06:51 PM

The offseason is here, and there is no offseason tradition quite like predicting Los Angeles Lakers trades. Being the most prestigious team in the league, the Purple and Gold are always in win-now mode, and there are always rumors of the team making blockbuster trades in order to fit that philosophy.

Los Angeles’ desire to make the moves to compete right away this offseason is enhanced by their desire to keep LeBron James happy. James has a player option on his contract for next season, and the NBA legend leaving in free agency is a concern for the franchise. One big move in the trade market could be enough to convince James to stick around, though, even if his son, Bronny James, ends up playing for another team. James’ agent, Rich Paul, has already confirmed that it isn’t set in stone that the elder James will join the team that Bronny plays for.

Regardless of James’ future with the franchise, the Lakers are in a new era of basketball. JJ Redick was just hired to coach the team, and he will want the front office to make the moves necessary to build the team according to his vision. One of the Lakers’ best trade assets is their first-round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

Originally, the Pelicans were supposed to own the Lakers pick because of the Anthony Davis trade, but they decided to defer their right to the Lakers pick until next year. Now, Los Angeles has a mid-first-rounder that they can work with. While they may choose to keep the 17th pick and draft a young prospect, Los Angeles may also decide to use their pick as trade bait. If the Lakers choose the latter course of action, here are three trade options that they should consider.

*It is worth noting that the Lakers can’t trade their pick outright. They’d have to draft a player and then trade his rights.

Cam Johnson

Los Angeles Lakers receive: Cam Johnson

Brooklyn Nets receive: 17th overall pick, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent

The Brooklyn Nets made two huge deals the day before the draft. First, they acquired five first-round picks and a first-round pick swap option from the New York Knicks in exchange for Mikal Bridges. It was a massive trade that sent the basketball world into chaos. The team immediately followed that trade up with a deal with the Houston Rockets. In that trade, Brooklyn moved off of some of the picks they had previously acquired from the Phoenix Suns in order to reacquire their owns picks they lost in the James Harden deal.

The two moves signaled a full blown rebuild in Brooklyn, and more players are likely to be on their way out. Cam Johnson is now their biggest trade chip, and he could be the next player on the move. If Brooklyn wants to trade him, the Lakers should consider swooping in.

Johnson is one of the best 3-point shooting forwards in the NBA. Assuming James returns to the Lakers, any team led by the 2003 first overall pick needs to surround their superstar with shooters. James thrives driving to the rim and dishing the ball out to shooters, and Johnson’s spacing and knock down ability would fit perfectly alongside the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Johnson could not only help them win now, but he is also only 28 years old, meaning he has some good years ahead of him. He wouldn’t take the ball out of James or Anthony Davis’ hands too often, but he would knock down the big shots that the team needs him to.

To make the money work, Los Angeles would need to include Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent in the trade, but the Lakers shouldn’t hesitate to do so. Vanderbilt’s minutes would be stolen by Johnson in Los Angeles anyways, and Vincent disappointed in his first season with the Lakers.

Zach LaVine

Los Angeles Lakers receive: Zach LaVine

Chicago Bulls receive: 17th overall pick, D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt

The Lakers have long looked for a third superstar to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They would get that by trading for Zach LaVine. In this trade, it takes their first-rounder this year, as well as D’Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt to get the two-time All-Star from the Chicago Bulls.

On the surface, that seems like a steal for the Lakers. Although he had a down season last year, LaVine is only two seasons removed from averaging 24.8 points per game.

However, LaVine might be the most gettable star in the league this offseason, and it likely won’t cost an arm and a leg to acquire him. The Bulls are going in a new direction, and that was confirmed when they traded Alex Caruso for the much younger Josh Giddey.

The Bulls seem destined to move on from LaVine next. The big three with LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic never worked out, largely because of LaVine’s struggles on the defensive end. Additionally, LaVine has a pricey contract that the Bulls want to get off of.

LaVine’s defensive shortcomings wouldn’t be as big of a deal in Los Angeles, and money has never been an issue for the Lakers ownership. The Lakers defense is solid, they just need more of a scoring boost. The Lakers would hope that LaVine could shake the injury bug that bit him last season, but they would be thrilled with this trade package.

Russell, Vincent, and Vanderbilt are all solid players, but the Lakers shouldn’t blink an eye at trading any of them. Russell’s career has been up and down, and many have questioned if he can contribute to a winning style of basketball. Russell would have to opt into his player option for this trade to work, but there is a real possibility that he will do so.

Dejounte Murray

Los Angeles Lakers receive: Dejounte Murray

Atlanta Hawks receive: 17th overall pick, D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2029 first-round pick, two second-round picks

The Nets and Bulls have already started their rebuilds, but the Atlanta Hawks may not be far behind. It is unclear what direction the Hawks franchise will go in, but them coming to the realization that the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray combination can not work is a realistic possibility.

If Atlanta decides that one of their star guards has to go, Dejounte Murray is the one more likely to be traded. The Lakers have long been viewed as a Murray suitor, and he would be a big addition to the roster.

Murray would bring more defense to Los Angeles’ backcourt, and he could thrive as both a playmaker and a scorer offensively as the team’s point guard. The lead guard spot is Murray’s more natural position, too, so he might see an uptick in production after moving on from the shooting guard position he has been forced to play during his time with the Hawks.

This is the only trade in this article that would take more than one first-rounder, and it might even take more than the two first-round picks that we predicted to actually land Murray, especially considering the hefty prize we saw Mikal Bridges traded for. Still, if the Lakers really do want to give themselves another shot at the title in the LeBron James/Anthony Davis era, then the price to pay would be more than worth it.

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