NBA rumors: Trae Young trade buzz, Andre Drummond is a comedian, Wemby and KAT team up

NBA Rumors: Lakers maintain trade interest in Trae Young

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to monitor Trae Young's situation with the Atlanta Hawks. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, Young has "long been on Los Angeles' radar," with the Lakers primed to act if the Hawks' situation flies further south.

It's not terribly surprising for the Lakers to be on the prowl for another star — that has been the longstanding M.O. for LA, a franchise with natural brand appeal that few stars are immune to. LeBron is only the latest in a long line of NBA greats who have donned the Lakers' purple and gold. Most of the current generation grew up idolizing Kobe. The Lakers never have trouble recruiting star talent.

Young has yet to request a trade from the Hawks, but Atlanta's offseason centered on moves to make the roster younger, not necessarily better. Young is only 24 years old and he's under contract through at least 2026, so in theory Atlanta can afford to be patient. In actuality, however, NBA stars have more power at the bargaining table than ever before. If Young requests a trade and makes his displeasure known, he can absolutely force his way to a new situation.

Jason Reed of Lake Show Life was kind enough to put together the outline of a hypothetical Trae Young trade: Los Angeles receives Trae Young in exchange for D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, two future first-round picks (2029, 2031), and two future first-round pick swaps (2028, 2030).

That's a good starting point for negotiations. With the current star market being what it is, the Hawks should probably hold out for more in real negotiations. Young is one of the best offensive players in the NBA and he's still young. He already took Atlanta to the conference finals once. Even if the Hawks feel inclined to rebuild, trading Young for less than premium value would backfire.