The Los Angeles Lakers’ plans this offseason could be starting to take shape. JJ Redick, at least right now, seems to be the favorite to land their head coaching job, and if they elect to trade for a third star, Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers is their top option.
If the pursuit worked out, Mitchell would be an awesome addition to the Lakers, and he could turn them into the favorites to win the NBA championship overnight. Of course, their chances of winning it all with him would largely depend on how well they’re able to fill out the rest of their roster, given how suffocating the salary cap is.
But getting him would be the hard part. Many other teams will be vying for Mitchell if he becomes available, and Los Angeles may not have the best trade package available.
Its most attractive trade chip may be starting guard Austin Reaves, and one Eastern Conference general manager said its chances of landing Mitchell could hinge on how attractive a trade chip he would be to Cleveland (h/t Cavaliers Nation).
Via Heavy:
“The only way the Lakers could trade for him,” one Eastern Conference GM told Heavy Sports, “is if they did an all-or-nothing kind of trade. It’s got to be that. They’d have to put all their chips in. Then it is just a matter of, how much do the Cavaliers like Austin Reaves?”
While Mitchell, 27, can become a free agent next summer, he hasn’t given any real indication of whether he wants to stay in Cleveland or go elsewhere.
He averaged 26.6 points a game in the regular season and 29.6 points a game in the playoffs this year. The five-time All-Star’s defense has significantly improved, and he would give the Lakers a much-needed injection of speed and athleticism in their backcourt.
