A new report indicates that the Los Angeles Lakers have pondered the prospect of making a bid to acquire Atlanta Hawks superstar guard Trae Young.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic looked at the Lakers’ offseason plans, with the possible deal for Young one of the topics that the team has already reportedly discussed.
“The Lakers have had internal discussions about what a hypothetical trade offer for Young could look like this summer, according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publicly,” Buha wrote.
Mentions of a possible deal for Young were noted last month, though whether or not the Lakers will begin to make a concerted effort is unknown right now.
Young certainly would bring star power to the Lakers’ backcourt, though the price to acquire him may end up being more than the Lakers are willing to shell out.
Set to turn 25 in September, Young is still in the early stages of what’s already been a stellar NBA career. In his five seasons with the Hawks, Young has averaged 25.5 points, 9.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game.
Numbers like that were expected by the Hawks, who acquired Young on the night of the 2018 NBA Draft from the Dallas Mavericks.
Yet, Young is not without flaws, and his production has not resulted in the Hawks becoming consistent championship contenders. That may make him a viable trade option this offseason.
Of course, a possible deal for Young will be overshadowed by the future of LeBron James, as his comments after Monday night’s Game 4 loss in the Western Conference Finals hinted at his possible retirement.
James’ comments were seen by some as shocking, considering he’s showing few signs of slowing down at the age of 38. In the Game 4 loss to the Denver Nuggets, James did everything he could to lead his team to victory, scoring 40 points, including 31 in the first half.
Of course, the remarks by James came in the immediate aftermath of a frustrating defeat. After beginning his offseason, James could very well have a change of heart.
However, the four-time champion has made no secret in the past of his desire to see the Lakers make key upgrades to their roster.
Besides the potential cost for Young, the Lakers’ front office may be gun-shy about pursuing a high-profile guard. Their last venture in that area resulted in the disastrous deal that brought Russell Westbrook to the team.
For now, the Lakers no longer have games to worry about. Yet, their concerns about what next season’s roster will look like are only beginning.
