Why trading for Zach LaVine wouldn't make sense for the Lakers
When thinking about the history of the Los Angeles Lakers the first two things that come to mind are championships and superstars. Over the course of their history, the Lakers have featured some of the greatest players to ever touch a basketball.
The rich history of players starts with George Mikan, then Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Paul Gasol, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis.
In the process of trying to win championships through stars, the Lakers have added players that did not work. In the 2003 offseason, Gary Payton and Karl Malone signed with the Lakers which was followed by them losing the 2004 Finals. Then in 2012, the Lakers traded for Dwight Howard and signed Steve Nash which was followed by Kobe Bryant tearing his Achilles trying to lift the Lakers into the playoffs.
Just very recently, the Lakers traded for Russell Westbrook to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis a deal that failed miserably. With a new star available in Zach LaVine, and the Lakers rumored to be interested, it's worth considering why this might not be the right move for them.
3. The Lakers would sacrifice depth in a Zach LaVine trade
In order for the Lakers to trade for Zach LaVine, they would first have to match his $40 million dollar contract. The Lakers only have two players that make more than $20 million dollars this season which are LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers aren't trading either of their stars, which means they would have to package multiple players in exchange for one.
LaVine is a star so the Lakers would have to give up more than just two players to get him. That is something that the Lakers shouldn't do because depth has been the reason for winning championships over the last couple of years.
Looking at the Denver Nuggets last season, the play of Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, and Christian Braun was a key factor. The Warriors in 2022, Jordan Poole, Gary Payton II, and Otto Porter Jr. all played extremely well in their playoff run. Both of those teams had eight or nine players that played extremely well.
At the moment, the Lakers have depth with Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Christian Wood, who have been amazing off the bench. In the starting lineup, the defense of Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince has been crucial in helping LeBron James. D'Angelo Russell has been a great third option in the starting lineup.
In order to get Zach LaVine, the Lakers would have to give up some of those players who have played a significant part in the Lakers' success this season.