Lakers Trade For $60M Multi-Time All-Star in New Blockbuster Trade Proposal

Jeremy Hanna | Nov 15, 2024

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are sitting in a comfortable sixth place in the Western Conference with a 7-4 record.

While this is a decent position for most teams at this point in the season, the Lakers are not just any team. With legendary players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis, they're going to want to cement themselves as one of the best teams in the league.

A great way to improve their chances would be through a trade, and one NBA analysts' proposal has a significant upside for Los Angeles.

According to Don Favale of BleacherReport, the Lakers could make a move for a valuable big man to join Davis and lighten his load a bit.

Specifically, Favale believes Los Angeles should trade D'Angelo Russell, Christian Wood, and a 2025 second-round pick for Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic.

"The seven-footer is currently lighting it up from, well, everywhere," Favale said. "He is shooting 71 percent at the rim (on more volume), 57 percent from mid-range and 47 percent from three."

"This preposterous efficiency almost certainly won't stick, but it is so absurd that Vucevic has room to regress and remain hyper-useful. Los Angeles can use him both next to and independent of Anthony Davis. There will be a defensive trade-off whenever he's on the court, but it gets easier to shelter him once both AD and Jarred Vanderbilt are healthy."

Currently, Vucevic is averaging 20.7 points, 10.2 total rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game across 12 games. With stats like this, he would easily make a great addition to the Los Angeles roster.

Favale also noted that, while the Lakers have plenty of room to take on Vucevic's salary, they may have some difficulties dealing with a competitive market.

"Adding his $20 million salary to the 2025-26 balance sheet shouldn't faze the Lakers when they're not including a first-round pick," Favale continued. "Dealing with a potentially more competitive market is the bigger hurdle."

"Vooch has played well enough for the Bulls to get more than expiring money and a second-rounder. But the list of suitors chasing after 34-year-old centers who do not move the defensive needle beyond rebounding isn't long."

"Though Los Angeles should probably draw the line at distant first-round equity, tacking on additional seconds or perhaps a first-round swap is perfectly fine if the market dictates it."

Vucevic would make a great addition to the team. The only question is whether the Bulls would be willing to part with one of their best players.

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