It seemed inevitable that the Los Angeles Lakers would win the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament. The Lakers were playing their best basketball of the season in the midst of group play, and there was no way LeBron James wasn't going to do everything in his power to lead them to the championship game. The Lakers, arguably the league's most historic and successful franchise, defeated the Indiana Pacers 123-109 to claim the inaugural NBA Cup in Las Vegas.
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 Rob 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 pertaining to 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 secret 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. No coincidence there, right?
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 spoke with LaVine and his representation about pursuing other options, but the Bulls have played really 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 injury), 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 of 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 are wanting to increase their championship outlook 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, has the ability to 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 like 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' name 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 name to hit 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 that can be their second-best scorer alongside Trae Young, the Hawks have yet to really 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 name has come up recent 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 hit the trade block, the Lakers are now hearing their name 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 kick 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 really 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 teams 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 blow them away with a trade offer in order 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 are able to deal any player on their roster with restrictions lifting next month.
Other Lakers trade options
Aside from LaVine and Murray, not many star players have been rumored to become available ahead of the trade deadline. There is Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby with the Toronto Raptors, but teams around the league have been unable to negotiate with the Raptors due to their “insanely high” asking prices, as one league source told ClutchPoints. Lauri Markkanen has also been mentioned recently, yet the Utah Jazz wouldn't have much interest in anything the Lakers could offer them at this point.
Los Angeles will enter trade season with multiple options as far as personnel goes. If Reaves is truly off-limits in trade talks, that would mean Russell is the likeliest Laker player to be on the move. Between his recent role change and movable contract, Russell's time with the Lakers is beginning to look a lot like Westbrook's. Should the Lakers look to move on from DLo, he could instantly become a key part of another team's push for the playoffs.
Rui Hachimura is another interesting name to discuss as a possible outgoing salary for the Lakers this season. Hachimura is in the first year of a three-year, $51 million contract with Los Angeles, but his role has been undefined at times. Hachimura's workload has increased in recent games, as he is now averaging 17.0 points and 4.3 rebounds over his last three games after previously averaging 10.3 points per game in the month of December.
Then there is Gabe Vincent, who recently underwent a knee procedure and will miss approximately six-to-eight weeks. Vincent is making $10.5 million in the first season of a three-year, $33 million contract with Los Angeles signed over the summer. After helping lead the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals last year, Vincent was viewed by many teams as one of the better free agent guards available this past offseason. However, the signing has been a disaster so far.
The Lakers should have options, and the idea of them having to trade for a third star has been blown out of proportion. Pelinka and this front office are going to make the best move possible that puts the Lakers in a position to not only compete for a title this season, but for the foreseeable future. Locking themselves into another $30 million or $40 million contract doesn't necessarily spell out a championship, and it most definitely doesn't provide financial flexibility.
The Detroit Pistons, who are on a historic 27-game losing streak, could wind up dealing talent at the trade deadline. This could possibly make Bojan Bogdanovic, an experienced sharpshooter on the wing, a viable trade target for the Lakers. LaVine's name has been brought up when talking about the Bulls, but former Laker guard Alex Caruso would make the most sense for Los Angeles. It's possible that Pelinka would prefer to talk with Chicago about trades centered on the defensive-minded guard rather than LaVine over the next few weeks. DeMar DeRozan could be another option, as while he's still a star-caliber player he's an expiring contract and is 34 years old, meaning he should cost much less.
Still looking at the Eastern Conference, the Washington Wizards are going to be another team numerous playoff contenders look to get on the phone with. Tyus Jones, who is in the final year of his contract and making $14 million, has proven to be one of the most sustainable and productive guards in the entire league in recent years. His passing and facilitating skills could make him a very valuable target for a team like the Lakers.
Plenty of names will continue to circulate in whispers around the league with the trade deadline nearing. The Lakers, who do not necessarily need to make a trade at this time, will be active leading into February. Pelinka has shown no fear when pursuing top-tier talent in the past and will continue to surround his two superstar talents with what they need to compete for another title.
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