For the last few months, it has been no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers will look to make a big swing on the trade market this summer. While they have a good roster, it’s a roster that’s just a bit short of the needed qualities to truly compete for the NBA championship.
Trae Young, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell have been mentioned as possible trade targets. Of the three, Mitchell is reportedly L.A.’s preferred target, and for good reason. He has made the All-Star team in each of the last five seasons, and he is a dynamic scoring threat who is just 27 years of age.
After Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers lost in the second round of the playoffs, it was thought that he was inching closer to possibly asking for a trade. But Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was fired just days ago, and according to Shams Charania, the team now has “a lot of optimism” that Mitchell will instead sign a long-term extension with it.
"J. B. Bickerstaff is out as head coach in Cleveland, sources tell me that Kenny Atkinson and James Borrego are among the leading candidates to replace Bickerstaff…There is a lot of optimism around the Cavs that they're going to get a commitment from Donovan Mitchell on a… pic.twitter.com/9NkzsXTIkm
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 23, 2024
This could always be a blessing in disguise for the Lakers. While, in a perfect world, Mitchell would be an ideal star to place alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, his cost would be steep for the Lakers. In addition, a source said that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert “would never” trade Mitchell to Los Angeles.
Perhaps the team would be better off going after another talented guard who the Lakers could get while giving up fewer assets.
