NBA Rumors: Lakers Hold "Most Powerful" Trade Assets In League

September 04, 2022 ,

While the big trades have already gone down this summer, there is still some dealing to be done. And when it comes to trade assets, according to one NBA exec, nobody has better capital than the Los Angeles Lakers. 

The two Lakers’ picks are the most powerful thing as far as picks go in the league right now. Everyone expects them to be top picks and if you can get them unprotected, everybody wants those.

That's the word an anonymous executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com.  The Lakers have their 2027 and 2029 first-round draft picks available, and after their current run with LeBron James and Anthony Davis runs its course—certainly by 2027—everyone around the league has reason to believe those Lakers will plummet to the league's basement, and those picks will be extremely valuable as high lottery picks. 

The Utah Jazz are thought to be a prime trade candidate for L.A., and willing to take on the Russell Westbrook expiring contract, as CEO Danny Ainge wants to continue selling off his veterans for more prime first-round picks.

"If you’re the Lakers," continued the executive, "OK, [Malik] Beasley and [Bojan] Bogdanovic and Jarred Vanderbilt for one of these picks and Russ (Russell Westbrook)? Or, you know, [Jordan] Clarkson or [Mike] Conley in there? You’re going to want three of those five players, give up Westbrook and only deal off one of the picks. Danny [Ainge] might get more picks if he sells those off individually but he is not going to get better picks, and that is the thing the Lakers have as an advantage."

Still plenty of action to come on the trade market, it seems, before training camp begins in three weeks.

Photos: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports, Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports


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