Lakers News: Major Hangup Preventing Possible Trade for Perfect LA Fit

Los Angeles absolutely needs to make this deal — for the right price.

Mar 18, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and forward Anthony Davis (3 celebrate against the Atlanta Hawks in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers are struggling to come to terms with the Portland Trail Blazers on the exact framework of what could be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

According to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report, the Trail Blazers are happy to ship out 30-year-old veteran 3-and-D combo forward Jerami Grant, whose age hardly matches the timeline for a rebuilding squad that just finished 21-61 last season.

The hangup, however, is that Portland wants both of the Lakers' remaining tradeable first round draft picks, in 2029 and 2031. This is a pretty high price to pay, given that Grant is a non-All-Star, and those draft picks, if left unprotected could be quite valuable. James will presumably be long-gone from the roster at that point, while Davis would be in his late 30s. L.A. could be a lottery team.

Los Angeles absolutely needs to make this deal — for the right cost. Sacrificing two unprotected first round picks seems like too steep a price to pay, but perhaps with some mild protections (top-10 or lottery), at least one pick and a pair of second rounders could be offloaded to the tanking Blazers?

The Lakers finished 47-35 and are currently set to bring in virtually the same roster this coming season, with only peripheral additions thus far (rookie guards Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, new two-way players Blake Hinson and Armel Traore). Davis and James are only getting older, already both on the wrong side of 30. They need more defense and shooting. Grant is just, without being a particularly selfish player.

Last year, he averaged 21 points on a .451/.402/.817 slash line (that 40.2 percent three point rate arrived on 5.1 triple tries), 3.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks a night.

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