The Lakers are already making changes by firing Darvin Ham, but there could be three different plans for them to win a championship in 2024-25.
The Los Angeles Lakers are not resting on their laurels and certainly not running it back next year. Darvin Ham is out as the head coach and some interesting names are floating around for the vacant position. At the same time, LeBron James has a $51,415,938 player option this summer but might reject it and sign a multi-year deal to remain with the Lakers into his 40s. Anthony Davis is still untouchable, and the organization is hell-bent on winning.
Luckily for the Lakers, there are three major plans they can go after this offseason. By leveraging their assets such as Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and even their 2024 first-round pick, the Lakers can focus and decide to follow one of three plans.
This plan revolves around the Lakers doing everything possible to acquire that third All-Star to form the best Big Three in the league. Zach LaVine could prove to be the most cost-effective move because it would probably require less negotiating than going after bonafide All-Stars Trae Young or Donovan Mitchell. The way the Lakers can acquire one of these stars is to have D’Angelo Russell reject his player option, sign a deal, and agree to a sign-and-trade. Players such as Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent, and Jalen Hood-Schifino will be included along with the 2029 first-round pick.
LaVine could be a capable floor-spacer and excellent spot-up shooter, considering he averages over 38% from three over his career. Even if he only posted 19.5 points per game this season, LaVine can easily post over 20 points in the right system. The Bulls probably want to bring back assets and a package that includes a mix of Russell, Reaves, and a first-round pick could be more than suitable.
Trae Young would be another incredible option, but his presence would elevate the Lakers even more. Trae is an incredible passer and scorer, and a perfect lob partner for Anthony Davis. James will also completely trust Young to handle the ball and create plays for the team without risk of drop-off. Young averaged 25.7 points and 10.8 assists per game this season, and while his numbers might suffer in Los Angeles, he can have a chance to win an NBA title which he doesn’t have in Atlanta.
The biggest fish would obviously be Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is on a tear right now in the playoffs, posting 50 points in Game 6 against the Orlando Magic followed by dropping 39 points in a Game 7 victory. Mitchell is one of the best scorers in the league and is only 27 years old so the sky’s the limit for him. If the Lakers want to create the best team in the NBA, they will throw everything at the Cavaliers to make this deal go through.
The new-look frontcourt of the Lakers will be extremely dominant on both ends of the court. Markkanen is an excellent scorer but a capable shot-blocker which will make it hard for opponents to score on the team with Davis patrolling the middle. LeBron also gives the team plenty of size, reverting back to what made the Lakers dominant in the 2019-20 championship campaign.
Austin Reaves also slides into a strong role in the starting lineup alongside D’Angelo Russell and we are looking at one of the best starting lineups in the NBA. Having Rui Hachimura off the bench as a sixth man can prove to be a game-changer when it comes to depth, and the rest of the roster can be filled with capable free agents looking for team-friendly deals such as Spencer Dinwiddie or Andre Drummond.
