The Los Angeles Lakers’ victory in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament appeared predestined. During group play, the Lakers were exhibiting their highest caliber of basketball play of the year; therefore, it was indisputable that LeBron James would do everything in his power to guide them to the championship game. In Las Vegas, the Lakers, arguably the most successful and historically significant franchise in the NBA, won the inaugural NBA Cup by defeating the Indiana Pacers 123-109.
Celebration and festivities ensued with Los Angeles looking every bit like a real contender in the Western Conference. Since their in-season tournament victory, though, the Lakers have dropped six of their last eight games. Granted, four of these six losses were on the road, but Los Angeles has not looked like the same robust team they were just a matter of weeks ago.
Of course, the sky is always falling in Hollywood anytime the Lakers are struggling. This was the case a season ago ahead of the trade deadline when GM Rоb Pelinka pulled the trigger on several notable moves. Pelinka’s aggressiveness on the trade market resulted in Los Angeles being able to make a run to the Western Conference Finals.
Similar worries now cloud the Lakers’ potential to move forward this season. D’Angelo Russell has been moved to the bench, Los Angeles ranks 24th in the league as a team on offense, and there continues to be constant questions regarding who will step up next to James and Anthony Davis. As the holiday season wears down and we get ready to embark on 2024, the NBA trade deadline silently approaches. There are just about six weeks until the deadline, which is why trade rumors about the Lakers and others are beginning to heat up.
More specifically, trade rumors involving Chicago Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine and Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray have found their way to the franchise. It’s no sеcrеt that Los Angeles could use a third star to alleviate pressure when LeBron and Davis aren’t on the court. LaVine and Murray are two prominent names featured on the trade block right now, and the common denominator here is they are both represented by Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
The Lakers are always a team to watch heading into the trade deadline and this season is no different. With LaVine and Murray on their radar, the question now becomes whether or not Los Angeles has what it takes to pursue either star.
Latest on Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine signed a five-year, $215 million contract with the Bulls as an unrestricted free agent in 2022. This decision came as a surprise to some around the league, especially since the star’s frustrations in Chicago had been well-documented through the years. Nonetheless, LaVine decided to remain with the Bulls due to the fact they could offer him the most money and he could also work on a trade with the team at a later date.
It now seems like the time for a trade has come. Not only has the team spoken with LaVine and his representation about pursuing other options, but the Bulls have played well without LaVine on the court. Currently 9-5 without the two-time All-Star this season (9-4 since he went down with a long-term foot ιnjury), Chicago’s offense has looked more confident and comfortable. Coby White has also put together some of the best performances of his career with LaVine gone.
All signs point towards the Bulls moving on from LaVine at the trade deadline this season. For the Lakers, he presents them with a third star to play through on offense, one that could take responsibility for initiating the offense and thrive in any role necessary. While DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are not LeBron and Davis, LaVine’s familiarity with playing with another star big man and primary ball handler is what makes him a unique trade target for Los Angeles.
From a skill standpoint, LaVine is everything the Lakers are lacking at this point in the season. LaVine can shoot from the perimeter, he can score off the dribble, and he adds a layer of explosiveness this team does not appear to have right now. From a contract standpoint and what the Bulls star is owed moving forward, he is a major red flag for the Lakers.
Making $40 million this season, LaVine is set to make $3 million more each year through the 2026-27 season, a year in which he owns a player option worth nearly $49 million. This would be an incredibly taxing contract for the Lakers to take on, especially with Davis on the books for close to $200 million from the 2025-26 season through the 2027-28 season.
The Lakers want to increase their championship оutlооk before the trade deadline passes. With that said, league sources told ClutchPoints that Los Angeles would prefer to maintain a level of financial flexibility moving forward with LeBron’s future past this season being unclear. James, who has expressed his desire to play alongside his son in the NBA, can opt out of his $51 million player option for next season. Tying themselves down to LaVine’s massive contract worth over $40 million per year over the next four years would not be favorable to the notion of navigating scenarios in which James could depart Los Angeles.
If the Lakers were to trade for LaVine, they would be tied down to him for multiple seasons with no questions asked. Los Angeles would be unable to flip LaVine for other assets as they did with Russell Westbrook last season, and he would be their third-best player next to Davis and James. For his price tag, the Lakers need to ask themselves whether or not investing this kind of money into a third star would truly be worthwhile, especially when that money can be allocated to key secondary talents that round out their roster.
The Bulls are also not going to be giving LaVine up just for the sake of trading him. Multiple draft picks and impactful players would need to be in play to make a trade worthwhile for the Bulls, meaning the Lakers would undoubtedly have to part ways with the remaining first-round draft capital they have. Austin Reaves’ nаme would also likely be brought up in these conversations from Chicago’s perspective. The belief around the league is that Reaves is untouchable in trade talks, making everything surrounding LaVine to the Lakers rumors even more unclear.
Dejounte Murray trade rumors
Whereas LaVine trade rumors have been talked about a lot since the start of the season, Dejounte Murray is a fresh nаme to Һit the trade block. Murray has been with the Hawks since the start of the 2022-23 season. While he has played his role as a two-way combo guard who can be their second-best scorer alongside Trae Young, the Hawks have yet to prove they can be real threats in the Eastern Conference. Currently six games below .500 on the season, Atlanta appears to be open to discussing all of the options they have over the next six weeks.
Murray’s nаme has come up recently in connection with the New York Knicks, a team that could use another feature guard alongside soon-to-be All-Star Jalen Brunson. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto recently outlined the Knicks’ interest in Murray, as has SNY’s Ian Begley, though the Klutch Sports factor could be an obstacle.
As is the case with every star to Һit the trade block, the Lakers are now hearing their nаme come up when the Hawks star is discussed. Compared to LaVine and his heavy contract being a financial burden, Murray has a four-year, $114 million extension that will kιck in at the start of the 2024-25 season. That’s less money than LaVine will make over the next three seasons alone.
Murray makes a greater impact defensively and has embraced his role playing off the ball alongside Young in Atlanta, which is the main reason why he would thrive in Los Angeles alongside LeBron. Again, though, the Lakers’ path to landing a third star, in this scenario Murray, would result in key assets needing to be moved.
Reaves and Max Christie are the two young players on Los Angeles’ roster the Hawks would probably covet in a trade for Murray. The Lakers would likely prefer to move Russell and one draft pick in a deal for Murray. How negotiations go and what each team looks to land can be debated for endless hours. The fact of the matter is the Hawks are in a similar position as the Bulls in the sense they are not going to be giving up their star to help the Lakers just for the sake of making a trade before the February trade deadline.
The Hawks have underperformed, leading to their not-so-good record. The addition of one or two key role players alongside Young and Murray could make them more threatening in the Eastern Conference. After all, Atlanta did extend Murray’s contract this past offseason with the intent of him being one of their featured stars for many years to come. The Lakers would need to blоw them away with a trade offer to consider any deal.
Nonetheless, pursuing Murray and his $17.7 million contract this season is a lot more feasible for Los Angeles, especially when the Lakers can deal with any player on their roster with restrictions lifting next month.