The Los Angeles Lakers are the biggest brand in the NBA, which means they’re always in play to trade for superstars around this time of year.
That includes players who have recently handed the Lakers gut-wrenching losses, which Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks did on Friday night with a clutch three down the stretch.
The Hawks are reportedly more than open to the idea of parting ways with Young, who doesn’t fit into Atlanta’s new future built around rising two-way wings Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels.
Contenders like the Golden State Warriors might be calling up the Hawks in the coming weeks to ask about the price for Young.
Should the Lakers join the sweepstakes? They’ve been repeatedly linked to Trae in the past.
The one caveat about a Trae deal for LA is that it would more than likely have to include Dalton Knecht, whom the Lakers would hate to lose.
Even so, LA is going to have to give up some sort of value in a deal for Young or another superstar, if they do indeed opt to form a Big Three before February.
Young would pair magnificently with Anthony Davis in pick-and-roll actions, and his defensive flaws might not stand out too much on a team that, frankly, hasn’t prioritized defense so far this season.