It is typically sunny in Los Angeles, and one particular portion of the Lakers offseason prospects looks bright already.
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II may be a perfect target for the Lakers this summer, and the asking price may not be unreasonable.
Lakers have the perfect trade target, thanks to the Mavs
One of critics' main gripes about last season's Lakers revolved around the team's lack of a pure center. After trading Anthony Davis to the Mavericks in the trade for Luka Doncic, the Lakers had to rely on Jaxson Hayes and others to make up for this deficiency.
Lively would have an immediate impact. The Duke product is a seven-footer who averaged 8.7 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting roughly 70 percent from the field this past season.
While the 21-year-old was held to just 36 games because of a stress fracture in his right foot, he was an All-Rookie selection the prior season and has shown flashes of both explosiveness and elite spatial awareness that could make him a perfect fit alongside Doncic and LeBron James.
Lively's injury was reportedly a hot-button issue within the Mavericks organization, and it is not known if the franchise would be willing to move off of a young player who has not fully peaked. But, it is possible that Nico Harris and Dallas' front office may be willing to part with him since they will likely select Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in this year's draft.
Dereck Lively would be the perfect fit on the Lakers
Flagg, Daniel Gafford, Anthony Davis, and Lively would form a crowded frontcourt. The Mavericks might be willing to trade Lively to the Lakers if they could receive Dalton Knecht and a pick swap in return.
Knecht was a part of the deal that almost sent Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams to the Lakers prior to the trade deadline.
Additionally, Knecht could be the kind of player Dallas could use in the backcourt. Across 78 games, the Fargo native shot roughly 37 percent from distance and also enjoyed a 37-point breakout performance against the Utah Jazz back in November.
The Mavericks were a middle-of-the-road team in terms of bench points, but they were towards the bottom of the association in terms of made 3's off the bench. Knecht could provide a needed jolt in this regard.
Put simply, the Lakers need a center, and the Mavericks might be able to move off of Lively without hurting their frontcourt. A "win-win" trade could be on the horizon.