Lakers' Hypothetical Blockbuster Trades to Shake up NBA Offseason

The 2024 NBA offseason could be a wild one.

The trade market already looks like it might be loaded with household names, and the Los Angeles Lakers have both a need for another star and the assets to get one.

What could be brewing on the blockbuster front for the Purple and Gold? That's what we're digging into here by building the foundations for blockbuster deals. Since payrolls are largely influx at the moment, we'll focus on general trade concepts as opposed to fully fleshed out, dollar-for-dollar swaps.

The Lakers nabbed Brandon Ingram with the No. 2 pick of the 2016 draft, kept him around for three seasons and then used him as one of the primary pieces to acquire Anthony Davis. Could an Ingram reunion be in the works?

Well, there's an expectation that the New Orleans Pelicans "will aggressively explore" Ingram trades this summer, per NBA insider Marc Stein. And if L.A. is drawn to Ingram's shot-creation, it doesn't feel like he should be out of the price range.

The Lakers might balk at including Austin Reaves in a deal, but they could field a formidable offer without him. Two or three first-round picks should get the Pelicans' attention—perhaps while being rerouted to a third team capable of sending back an instant-impact contributor—and a combination of D'Angelo Russell (if he picks up his player option), Rui Hachimura and a young sweetener like Jalen Hood-Schifino or Maxwell Lewis might seal the deal.

Ingram isn't a perfect on-paper fit for the Lakers, as he's a tad ball-dominant and has never shot the three-ball with much volume. Still, he'd be a great get as a third option on offense, since he can create his own chances or find openings for LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Trae Young's trade value feels tricky to nail down since he's such an obvious asset on offense and such a glaring liability on defense. It feels safe to assume, though, that if the Atlanta Hawks opt to move the 25-year-old three-time All-Star—the possibility of trade talks involving Young "are very real," per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski—they'd want a sizable return.

L.A. probably wouldn't be able to keep Reaves out of a Young deal, though Reaves' inclusion might at least spare the club from needing to cough up one of its young players. Of course, paths to future young talent could potentially close, as it might take all three picks the Lakers will be allowed to trade come draft night to bring Young onboard.

Is that too much of a risk? In a word: nope. Not when the championship window with James—who still has decisions to make about his future—is struggling to stay open.

Young, who cracks the league's short list of its best scorers and passers, could help keep it ajar. He's sort of a turbo-charged version of D'Angelo Russell, who looked like a legitimate difference-maker before battling inconsistency down the stretch. Young could work two-man magic with James or Davis and go a long way toward scratching this squad's longstanding itches for outside shooting and perimeter creation.

The clock could be ticking on Donovan Mitchell's tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers. With free agency awaiting him as soon as next summer—he has a $37.1 million player option for 2025-26, per Spotrac—his future could be the biggest talking point of this offseason.

While it's possible he is content in Cleveland, several teams (including the Lakers) "have their offers ready" in case he isn't, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Get Up.

It's tough to imagine a more talented player the Lakers could acquire this offseason. Mitchell, who turns 28 in September, has been an All-Star in each of the five past five seasons while averaging 26.2 points, 5.0 assists and 3.2 three-pointers over this span. He is a one-,man wrecking crew on offense, but his shooting and distributing allow him to mesh with other stars around.

Getting him to Hollywood would be a challenge, since the Lakers don't have the best hypothetical package to offer. If he communicated a desire to land in L.A., though, that could help immensely. While it perhaps goes without saying, the Lakers would have to give up essentially everything for him: all three picks, Reaves and then whatever veterans or prospects Cleveland would want.