Jerami Grant, Collin Sexton headline Lakers, Clippers hypothetical trade deadline scenarios
01/03/2025 05:06 PM
When it comes to the NBA trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers always seem to find themselves tied to several notable players. This year is no different, as the Lakers are constantly tied to several players on the trade block. Their counterparts, the Los Angeles Clippers, aren’t always as aggressive when it comes to making trades, yet they will also be on the hunt for upgrades before the Feb. 6 deadline. With talents like Jerami Grant and Collin Sexton being made available, perhaps there is a chance both the Lakers and Clippers will be buyers on the trade market.
Before we flipped our calendars to 2025, the Lakers had already made a move to try and increase their chances of winning this season by moving D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets. While Finney-Smith presents clear upside as a two-way wing in LA, there are still some holes the Lakers are going to look to fill, especially in their frontcourt next to Anthony Davis.
Over in Inglewood, California, Steve Ballmer and the Clippers await the return of superstar forward Kawhi Leonard. Although he has not played at all this season as he continues to rehab from ongoing knee issues, Leonard is expected to make his season debut for the Clippers at some point in January. Without Kawhi, the Clippers have been one of the biggest surprises of the 2024-25 season to this point, as they are 19-15 and emerging as one of the better defensive teams in the league.
In addition to searching the market for potential big men to have alongside starting center Ivica Zubac, the Clippers have also been exploring opportunities to add another scoring weapon by utilizing the contracts of PJ Tucker and Bones Hyland. These two players add up to over $15 million in salaries for the Clippers, which creates a sizeable market of players for LA to pursue before the trade deadline.
The Lakers and Clippers are going to be looking to buy talent ahead of the trade deadline, and here are some hypothetical trade scenarios involving Sexton, Grant, and others that could make sense for both organizations.
Clippers secure Collin Sexton
Los Angeles Clippers receive: G Collin Sexton, G Patty Mills
Utah Jazz receive: F PJ Tucker, C Cody Zeller, F Kobe Brown, MEM 2026 2nd round pick (protected 31-42, via ATL), LAC 2030 2nd round pick (full rights, UTA currently owns rights to swap), LAC 2031 2nd round pick
Atlanta Hawks receive: G Bones Hyland
The Utah Jazz are going to be open for business ahead of the trade deadline, making both Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton available in trade talks. Sexton, who the Jazz acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers when trading away Donovan Mitchell, has seen his role in Utah change over the last three seasons.
At times, the Jazz have utilized Sexton off the bench as a spark of scoring. Other times, he’s been in the starting lineup and proven to be one of the team’s main offensive weapons alongside Lauri Markkanen. If the Jazz are to seriously consider trading Sexton this season, they won’t do so at a discount.
That is the main issue with the Clippers’ potential pursuit of Sexton, as LA doesn’t have many assets to offer up. The Clippers can’t trade a first-round pick until 2030, and they wouldn’t want to do so in this scenario. All that is left from the Clippers in terms of draft assets is two second-round picks in 2030 and 2031.
These two second-round picks, along with one from the Atlanta Hawks by way of bringing in Hyland, may be the only path to the Clippers landing Sexton if Utah is willing to do a trade without there being a first-round pick involved. The other important asset going to the Jazz in this scenario is former first-round pick Kobe Brown, who still hasn’t cracked Tyronn Lue’s rotations in his second season with the Clippers.
While Tucker and Cody Zeller are nothing more than players that Utah would likely reach a buyout with, this does create a path to immediate cap relief and extra draft capital. As far as the Hawks involvement in this trade goes, Atlanta is in the market for extra backcourt help on their bench. Hyland is in the final year of his contract and would be worth a swing by the Hawks for a low-end second-round pick.
Unless they are willing to include a first-round pick for Sexton, this is the best offer the Clippers can present to Utah.
Jerami Grant to Lakers?
Los Angeles Lakers receive: F Jerami Grant, F/C Duop Reath
Portland Trail Blazers receive: F Rui Hachimura, G Gabe Vincent, G Jalen Hood-Schifino, LAC 2025 2nd round pick (via LAL), LAL 2025 2nd round pick
After just acquiring Finney-Smith, would the Lakers really have a need to pursue another talented two-way wing making more money in the form of Jerami Grant? In today’s league, you can never have too many two-way wings, which is why Grant is still worth discussing for Los Angeles.
Grant is in his third season with Portland and has seen his usage rate drop drastically. He is no longer the go-to scoring option for the Blazers, which has led to some speculation among league circles that the team will explore the market for his value. Still, there haven’t been any real indications suggesting that the Blazers will look to move Grant at the trade deadline.
The veteran has been a valuable asset for the Trail Blazers during their rebuild, and they did sacrifice a first-round pick in 2025 to originally trade for him from the Detroit Pistons. With the market for veteran players set at multiple second-round picks right now, perhaps there is a path to the Lakers pulling off a move for Grant without sacrificing first-round assets.
However, a steep price of Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and the remainder of their second-round assets following the Finney-Smith trade would be included in a package for Grant and Duop Reath. At the same time, Grant’s proven two-way abilities can’t be overlooked, and the addition of Reath gives the Lakers that extra stretch big man they have been wanting for depth behind Davis.
Losing Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino, who the Lakers declined the fourth-year team option of prior to the 2024-25 season, wouldn’t be a drastic hit to the Lakers depth chart now that Max Christie has emerged in the backcourt.
As long as it doesn’t cost them a first-round pick, swapping Hachimura for Grant gives the Lakers a slightly better chance to contend in the West.
Lakers finally land Nick Richards
Los Angeles Lakers receive: C Nick Richards, G Seth Curry
Charlotte Hornets receive: G Jalen Hood-Schifino, F/C Christian Wood, LAC 2025 2nd round pick (via LAL), LAL 2026 1st round pick (swap, more favorable to CHA)
Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards was a player the Lakers expressed interest in during the offseason, sources told ClutchPoints. Between his rebounding abilities and being a lob threat off the bench, Richards checked off the boxes for the type of big man Los Angeles wanted to add behind Davis.
Ahead of the trade deadline, Richards has heard his name in some rumors. The Hornets are in no shape to turn their season around at this point, which is why players like Richards, Caleb Martin, and Vasilije Micic could be dealt for the right price.
What would that price be regarding the Lakers?
Well, Rob Pelinka and the Lakers’ front office don’t have many second-round picks to offer up after trading for Dorian Finney-Smith, but they could attach one in 2025 to this deal with Charlotte. The key to this trade is a 2026 first-round pick swap, which isn’t all that crazy for the Lakers to sacrifice since they should be in a better position than the Hornets at this point anyways.
By moving on from Richards and Seth Curry, the Hornets would gain a second-round pick, potentially the option to swap firsts in 2026 if they can improve with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Ingram, plus a look at a recent first-round pick in Hood-Schifino. Would this be enough value for the Hornets?
Robert Williams joins Clippers in 4-team trade
Los Angeles Clippers receive: C Robert Williams III
Portland Trail Blazers receive: C Marvin Bagley III, F David Roddy, LAC 2030 1st round pick (Top-10 protected)
Washington Wizards receive: F PJ Tucker, C Cody Zeller, MEM 2025 2nd round pick (protected 31-42, via ATL), LAC 2030 2nd round pick (UTA owns rights to swap)
Atlanta Hawks receive: G Bones Hyland
No matter what trade options the Clippers explore between now and the trade deadline, all of these scenarios will involve Tucker and Hyland being on the move with some sort of minimal draft compensation that LA still has.
Robert Williams III is arguably the best big man to hear his name in trade rumors, yet the Blazers, like Grant, aren’t actively shopping him. Teams that have approached the Trail Blazers to inquire about Williams haven’t necessarily been met with open arms, especially since Portland values the big man’s skillset. After all, he was a player that the organization really wanted from the Boston Celtics when they traded Jrue Holiday.
Although Deandre Ayton and rookie Donovan Clingan exist in Portland’s frontcourt, Williams still commands high value. That is where things get complicated for the Clippers, as they don’t have virtually any high-value assets to offer up. To make up for this lack of value, the Clippers would undoubtedly need to include a first-round pick going to the Blazers if they want any shot at landing Williams, who is the change-of-pace big man this franchise wants behind Zubac.
This acquisition of Williams could potentially be accomplished if LA got on the phone with the Hawks and Washington Wizards as well. The Blazers wouldn’t want Tucker or Hyland, which is where the two Eastern Conference teams come in handy. While the Wizards would trade Marvin Bagley III and take on the contracts of Tucker and Zeller, they would be rewarded with two second-round picks — one from LA and one from Atlanta.
Then, the Hawks would be rewarded with Hyland, a guard that can supply them with more scoring depth on their bench, at the expense of Zeller’s and Roddy’s contracts and a low-end second-round pick.
From the Blazers’ perspective, Bagley brings versatility at the power forward and center positions in the final year of his contract. The only problem is that Bagley suffered a sprained knee recently and could wind up missing a large chunk of time. This injury could wind up throwing off the whole balance of this trade scenario.
The Clippers, Wizards, and Hawks all get what they need in this trade, but it is hard to imagine that the Blazers would be willing to give up Williams for a future first-round pick and two salary fillers. If anything, the Clippers would likely need to remove any protections from this 2030 first-round pick.
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