During the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers, who have certain parts to reinforce, may compensate for their weaknesses through a "blockbuster deal."
"It's only been a few weeks since the Minnesota Timberwolves were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in five games, but the Lakers are already facing a lot of questions ahead of this summer," the U.S. media "Sporting News" said on the 22nd (Korea time), adding, "This offseason is expected to be a decisive time for general manager Rob Pelinka and the club's front office."
The media added, "Luka Doncic has just joined the team, but due to the current contract structure, he can stay on the team for only one year unless he exercises his $46 million player option next summer. In addition to the possibility of 40-year-old LeBron James considering retirement, Pelinka can no longer afford to waste time defending two MVP stars."
At the same time, the media presented a "blockbuster deal" that could reinforce the team's weaknesses while keeping attractive resources.
Here's a trade proposal from Sporting News.
Los Angeles Lakers GET: Dermadrozan, Jonas Valenschnas
Sacramento Kings GET: Louis Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, 2031, first round pick (unprotected)
Aside from its feasibility, if the trade is made, it is a trade plan that can form a great starting lineup to look for victory when LeBron and Doncic are in good shape.
First of all, in the case of Valencia, the center is strong enough to achieve a double-double in every game.
As he turns 33 this year, it is hard to expect the same grip on the board as before, but Domantas Sabonis played 81 games this season to focus on offense, scoring an average of 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds. This is a resource that can immediately help the Lakers strengthen their inside defense that they most desperately want.
The Lakers' biggest weakness in the Western Conference this season, with Doncic, LeBron and Reeves in third place, was inside defense.
In the playoffs, JJ Redic admitted, "We don't have a defense under the basket. If you allow a breakthrough, you can't avoid losing points," and Pelinka also said, "We definitely need a center that can vertical alley-oop and rim protection," expressing the desperate need to reinforce the center.
In this situation, Balenciunas, who showed thick fine bones and still showed his skills on the NBA stage, is an attractive resource.
DeRozan is a veteran of 77 games this season, averaging 22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and a field-fighting success rate of 47.7%.
As many as six-time All-Star, he still boasts excellent mid-range games and is expected to show high efficiency if he plays with players who can attract defense attention such as LeBron and Doncic.
Although it tends to be somewhat sluggish in the playoffs, it's a resource that can be a big addition for the Lakers looking to win.
"From the Lakers' point of view, the main lineup consisting of Doncic, Reeves, DeRozan, LeBron and Balenas provides sufficient competitiveness to win without giving up all of the future," the media said. "Coach Pelinka and Ledick have a chance to seriously challenge for the championship within two years." 스포츠토토
"Even if this composition fails, DeRozan and Valenschnas are scheduled to expire in 2027, and LeBron is also likely to have retired, so a major rebuild is possible based on sufficient financial liquidity around Doncic, who will be 28 years old at this time," he added.
If you look at it like this, Sacramento will look like a loss-making trade, but if you look at the current situation of the team, it is hard to think about it like this.
Sacramento failed to advance to the playoffs, dropping out of the play-in tournament for the second consecutive year despite trading De'Aaron Parks, who was a franchise star this season.
On top of that, there is a possibility of a change in the team's management philosophy after the appointment of general manager Scott Perry, and there are predictions that he will enter a full-fledged rebuilding system after breaking up with high-salary players such as DeRozan, Valencia, Jack Lavigne and Sabonis.
Fans are paying attention to whether the Lakers will be able to make up for their weaknesses and succeed in trying to win in earnest while keeping key resources, including Reeves, Doncic and LeBron.