The Los Angeles Lakers are destined to trade for a third superstar to place beside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka will have a tough decision to make this February as the offers come in. If Pelinka does decide he wants to go all-in on a third star, the best course of action would probably be Trae Young, as Pelinka could ostensibly acquire Young without giving up Austin Reaves, a key piece of LA's winning core.
A secondary route for Pelinka would be to finally trade for a player that's been linked to LeBron in trade rumors for years. The catch-22 is that LA would have to give up Reaves to get him.
On Friday, Fadeaway World's Fran Leiva outlined what a Lakers deal for Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks would look like. To pry Lillard away, LA would have to send Reaves to Milwaukee along with D'Angelo Russell (expiring contract), Jarred Vanderbilt, Max Christie, Cam Reddish, Maxwell Lewis, and two first-round picks (2029, 2031).
"The Lakers have been circling Lillard for years now, with rumors popping up every offseason about their interest in pairing him with LeBron," Leiva said.
"If the Bucks are open to it, a trade could actually make sense. They could use some defensive help, and guys like Reaves, Vanderbilt, and Reddish would give them exactly that. Plus, those 2029 and 2031 first-rounders might end up being gold if the Lakers fall off in the future."
"For the Lakers, this is the kind of move that could push them over the top. Dame would instantly become their go-to scorer in crunch time ... we're talking about one of the most clutch players in NBA history. Adding him gives them a legit shot at another ring."
"For the Bucks, it's a chance to stay competitive while also planning for the future. They get younger, fix some defensive issues, and pick up two potentially valuable picks down the road. It's a tough trade for them after letting go of Jure Holiday, but it could work out for both teams."
Lillard's two-year, maximum veteran extension kicks in next season, and then he has a $58.5 million player option for the following season (2026-27).
Lillard, an eight-time NBA All-Star, was selected at No. 6 overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2012 draft. He turned 34 in July.