Lakers Trade Rumors: Hawks' Trae Young Has 'Long Been on Los Angeles' Radar'
If Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young ever decides he wants a change of scenery, the Los Angeles Lakers will potentially be waiting with open arms.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, "Young has long been on Los Angeles' radar, depending on how his situation unfolds in Atlanta."
Buha added that the Lakers "have pursued other star guards, including Damian Lillard, Kyle Lowry and Kyrie Irving."
And, of course, there was the failed Russell Westbrook experiment in the team's efforts to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with a third star at the guard position.
But while the Lakers have always prioritized chasing stars as an organizational ethos, the most success in the James-AD era has come when the team surrounded them with role players who complemented their particular skill sets.
When the team won a title in the 2019-20 bubble playoffs, James and Davis were surrounded by veteran defenders. In last season's run to the Western Conference Finals, the team rebuilt itself at the trade deadline, focusing on shooting and two-way contributors.
The Lakers will enter the 2023-24 season with a similar—and arguably better—squad. Important role players like Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell return, while Gabe Vincent and Jaxson Hayes were also added.
The Lakers have a balanced, solid squad. But the allure of ultimate star power always orbits this organization.
The question with Young is whether he would be the right fit. One of the issues with the star point guard in his career has been his lack of enthusiasm for playing off the ball, a role that any player teaming up with James will have to accept, at least for stretches.
And he isn't exactly a defensive stopper, either.
But Young gets buckets, so he'll always have appeal. At some point, James might prefer to have another perimeter player who can handle the scoring load, especially given Davis' inconsistencies in big games and situations when required to be the top dog.
It doesn't seem likely to happen. The Lakers have a well-built roster and the Hawks will exhaust every avenue to make things work with Young. But if things blow up in Atlanta, the Lakers will instantly become a team to watch.
