Let the Los Angeles Lakers trade rumors begin. After losing in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, plenty of questions will be asked about the immediate future of this team.
What do the Lakers do now? Well, the good news is that LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic are a formidable three-headed monster when they are clicking.
The bad news is there are some massive issues with the roster, including a desperate need for a big man who can play quality minutes.
Well, Stephen Noh of Sporting News revealed some potential trade targets, and one that was discussed was Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo.
This is the biggest type of swing that the Lakers could go for. They could offer Reaves, Knecht, and an unprotected first round pick for the talented big man. That would get the Heat younger and reset their window for contention. Adebayo hinted that big changes are coming in Miami after they were destroyed in the first round of the playoffs. Redick is a fan of the center, putting him no. 3 on his Defensive Player of the Year ballot back in 2024 (and snubbing Anthony Davis at the same time). LeBron expressed frustration at having to play so much center this season. Adebayo could fix that problem while still allowing the Lakers to play multiple different types of defensive schemes.
However, the Lakers would likely part with Reaves in any possible deal to land Adebayo, and Noh says that would "sting" for LA.
"Losing Reaves would sting, but his skills aren't needed nearly as much as the size that Adebayo could provide. And as good as Reaves is, Adebayo is a three-time All-Star is still in his prime at age 27. This package might not be quite enough to get the job done, but it's worth exploring," Noh wrote.
Still, landing an All-Star big man to run with Luka and LeBron would undoubtedly be a big step for this franchise, and Rob Pelinka likely wouldn't even hesitate to send this trade into the league office to get it done.
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