New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Proposal Sends Deandre Ayton and Kobe Bufkin to Los Angeles Lakers

Would the Lakers be interested in adding the Blazers center as their third star and how would Atlanta be involved?

Mar 13, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) drives to the basket during the second half as he is double teamed by Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) and forward De'Andre Hunter (12) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are in a delicate spot in the Western Conference. They are a clear step behind the upper echelon of the conference. Teams like the OKC Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves made deeper postseason runs last year and appear set up for more long-term success.

For the next two years, the Lakers should not be thinking long-term. They have LeBron James and Anthony Davis under contract for next year, but James has a player option for the 2025-26 season. The chances of him leaving LA to go elsewhere are admittedly slim. However, it is theoretically possible that the Lakers could be without James for the 2025-26 season.

As a result, it would make sense to leverage some of their assets into creating a roster with better ability to go on a postseason run. Unfortunately, ther are few options left for LA to pursue at this late stage of free agency. If either of Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram or Bulls wing Zach LaVine were going to be Lakers, it feels like a deal would have already happened.

Deandre Ayton should be an interesting option for the Lakers. There is no denying that the seven-foot center has skill. He can be a force on the boards, an effective paint scorer, and a great defender at his best. However, his motivation comes and goes. The Phoenix Suns' run to the NBA Finals in 2021 does not happen without his two-way presence. However, it is equally true that he relies on a lot of usage in order to remain relevant and support winning basketball. After being traded from Phoenix to the Portland Trail Blazers, his play declined due to the team's quality and lack of an offensive system. However, he experienced a slight resurgence after the All-Star break. He was especially impressive in March, averaging 20+ points and 15+ rebounds in three consecutive games and putting up 30 points and 19 rebounds in a win against the Raptors.

Could LA be the place for him to find a new spark in his NBA career? It's certainly possible - and Atlanta makes some sense as the third team in a deal to send Ayton from Portland to the Lakers.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks should do or will do. That is all.

Here's the trade.

Atlanta Hawks get: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Kris Murray, Cam Reddish, 2031 1st round pick (top-5 protected, via Los Angeles Lakers), 2027 2nd round pick (via New York Knicks), 2027 1st round pick (top-5 protected)

Los Angeles Lakers get: Deandre Ayton, Kobe Bufkin, Jabari Walker

Portland Trail Blazers get: D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Garrison Mathews, 2025 1st round pick (from Los Angeles Lakers, via Atlanta Hawks)

Why the Hawks would do this deal: Atlanta gets two very lightly protected first-round picks from Los Angeles and Portland that could be used in any direction they decide to take their franchise in. If they want to rebuild, they can hold on to the pick. If the Hawks want to build more around Trae Young, they can send the pick out for some veteran talent. It gives the franchise options at a time when its direction is not altogether clear. They would also get back two talented wings in Jalen Hood-Schifino and Cam Reddish. Reddish has already played in Atlanta and could provide solid defense off the bench. Hood-Schifino is more of an unknown, but has the size to grow into a plus-defender. Murray is another wing with size, but he is more of a mediocre defender and struggled with his offensive game as a rookie.

Why the Hawks wouldn't do this deal: They would be giving up rather early on Kobe Bufkin. Bufkin is a talented guard with two-way upside, but his chances of becoming the player he was meant to be in ATL are limited. To recoup two first-round picks essentially in exchange for him is a great bit of business.

Why the Lakers would do this deal: This deal would free up some offensive responsibilities from LeBron James and Anthony Davis. A James-Ayton duo could be lethal in the pick-and-roll and Davis would also be free to roam as a defender by playing next to Ayton. An Ayton-Davis frontcourt would be very difficult to match up with. Furthermore, Ayton can keep the Lakers afloat on nights where one of James or Davis sits. Bufkin also has two-way upside and could be a nice bench guard for Los Angeles with a chance to become a starter.

Why the Lakers would not do this deal: Ayton is not a natural three-point shooter. He averages 0.3 attempts from deep per game for his career. The spacing with him, Davis and James would be compromised and Russell Westbrook's tenure in Los Angeles shows how challenging it is to make a player who does not take threes work around James and Davis. Ayton is a good mid-range shooter, so there is a chance he could develop into a solid three-point shooter. However, it is a risky proposition for Los Angeles to bank on.

Why the Blazers would do this deal: Ayton being gone frees up a bigger workload for Donovan Clingan to step into and reduces some of their redundancies at center. Clingan, Robert Williams III and Duop Reath is a very solid group of centers that can fill important roles. The Blazers also get someone who can run the offense in D'Angelo Russell and good defenders (when healthy) in Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent. Garrison Mathews improves some of the spacing, but the real prize for Portland is the Lakers' 2025 1st-round pick. The pick is unprotected and gives them a chance to add a talented difference-maker in what projects to be a loaded 2025 draft class.

Why the Blazers would not do this deal: Russell adds to an already-crowded backcourt that needs to develop Scoot Henderson as the lead guard of the future. The duo of Russell and Henderson might be an awkward fit and can be targeted defensively. The Blazers are also surrendering a 2027 1st-round pick that could be costly to lose if they end up becoming a mediocre team in the West.

Who says no to this deal? I think Los Angeles would walk away over concerns that Ayton's fit as a non-shooter outweighs the positives in his game. There is also a chance that the Blazers want to keep Ayton as their power forward of the future and play him next to Clingan, which they are reportedly trying to do for this upcoming season.