Grade the Trade: Lakers land 3rd star in proposed off-season shakeup with Hawks
By Cal Durrett
After standing pat at the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be in a great position to make the playoffs while also keeping their powder dry for a big offseason move. That leads us to a fascinating proposal from Bleacher Reports' Greg Swartz, in which he has the Lakers going all in for a third star in a massive offseason deal with the Atlanta Hawks.
The Lakers have all the incentive in the world to aggressively pursue a third star in hopes of convincing superstar LeBron James to stay. He can become a free agent this summer and sign where he wants, including with whichever team drafts Bronny James. The threat of him bolting in free agency for nothing would force Los Angeles to try and hit the ground running, beginning around the NBA Draft, to try and improve their roster.
Even still, they will have to weigh just how much of their remaining assets to give up and whether it will make them a title contender next season and post-LeBron. Next up, we will take a look at the proposed offseason blockbuster deal between the Lakers and Hawks and grade the trade!