The Los Angeles Lakers came well short of their goal of raising the Larry O'Brien trophy, as the storied franchise suffered a demoralizing first-round exit in five games at the hands of Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Lakers' general manager Rob Pelinka will now be looking to do all he can to support his generational duo of Luka Dončić and LeBron James with supporting talent to compete for a title in 2025-26, and recent reports have indicated that Pelinka might opt to pull the trigger on an offseason deal to bolster their defense.
Following Los Angeles' pitiful defensive effort against Edwards and the Timberwolves, it's plausible to believe that the team may pull off a massive summer trade that would send their 20.2-point scorer and rising star Austin Reaves to the Orlando Magic in exchange for both defensive help and frontcourt reinforcements.
"Austin Reaves has developed into one of the best third options in the NBA, but his defense, especially alongside Doncic, came into question during the Lakers' series against the Timberwolves," ClutchPoints' Bailey Bassett wrote Thursday.
"Trading Reaves would be a tough pill to swallow, especially considering he plays on one of the best value contracts in the NBA, but this deal brings in a lot more defensive help."
"Jonathan Isaac struggles with injuries, but he is one of the best defensive players in basketball when he is healthy."
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"Isaac has the size to defend elite paint players and the length and mobility to kick outside and lock up wings."
"Wendell Carter Jr. is also a lanky defender who has helped the Magic become one of the best defensive teams in basketball."
In an effort to support their all-time great pairing of superstar talent and round out their roster for a hopeful championship run next season, Bassett suggests that the Lakers trade Reaves, their No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft Dalton Knecht and Gabe Vincent to the Orlando Magic for Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr., Gary Harris, Cory Joseph and two first-round draft picks.
The Magic could view this deal as a win-win due to their desperate need for offensive creation and shooting efficiency, as the team ranked No. 28 in scoring with 105.4 points in the regular season and No. 27 in field goal percentage with a collective 44.7% shooting clip.
As for Los Angeles, they'd be able to plug in gaps at both the center position with the improving Carter Jr. and give Dončić an opportunity to hide on defense behind Orlando's astounding stopper Isaac.
In 71 appearances for the Magic this season, Isaac contributed 5.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 0.9 steals and registered an incredible 103 defensive rating per 100 possessions.
Isaac's value as one of the league's best and most switchable defenders could prove to change the course of Los Angeles' immediate future if a deal of this caliber is agreed upon, and Carter Jr.'s rebounding prowess and floor-spacing ability could give James and Dončić a fantastic pick-and-roll option or target to hit on drive-and-kick three-point chances.
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