NBA Trades: The Lakers and Magic land major upgrades in a potential Blazers fire sale

NBA Trades: The Lakers and Magic land major upgrades in a potential Blazers fire sale 3-team swap.

The hypothetical deal would see the Lakers trade D'Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and a top-3 protected first-round pick to the Blazers for Jerami Grant. They would also send a top 55 protected second to the Magic. Meanwhile, the Magic would ship out Cole Anthony, Anthony Black, and two first-round picks (Denver 2025's first and Portland's 2026 first) to the Blazers for Anfernee Simons.

The proposed three-team swap has something for each team, with the Lakers getting a 20-point-per-game scorer in Grant that can also shoot and defend. The Magic get a sharpshooter at a position of weakness and lastly, the Blazers get multiple assets for their best players, one of who are expected to be moved before the start of the season. That may be particularly appealing for Portland, considering the prize at the top of the 2025 NBA draft.

If they were to make the deal, the Blazers would have a far better chance to compete for the number one pick. However, could the Blazers get more for their best players? Would the Lakers be willing to part with a top three protected future first-round pick and would the Magic be willing to give up multiple first-round picks to upgrade? Next, we will take a look at the trade from each team's perspective, starting with the Magic's, followed by the Lakers and Blazers.