The Lakers’ four greatest needs are an elite 3&D small forward to defend 2’s and 3’s, 3&D point-of-attack guard to defend 1’s and 2’s, and a pair of bigs to protect the rim and stretch the floor backing up or playing alongside Ayton.
Here’s a proposed blockbuster 4-team, 8-player trade that fills the Lakers’ greatest roster needs with four legitimate two-way players who can defend their positions and can’t be played off the court offensively in the playoffs. Dillon Brooks is an elite 3&D small forward who guards 2’s and 3’s, Keon Ellis a smart point-of-attack guard who defends 1’s and 2’s, Nick Richards a shot-blocking big, and Kelly Olynyk a versatile big who spaces the floor.
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The Spurs get Maxi Kleber and a 2028 pick swap for Kelly Olynyk and a second round pick that the Lakers send to Kings along with Dalton Knecht for Keon Ellis, who has fallen out of Sacramento’s guard rotation.
The Suns get Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt for Dillon Brooks and Nick Richards, who is now third in Phoenix’s center rotation. Here are the Lakers’ greatly improved starting lineup and depth chart rotation.
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A Lakers’ starting lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dillon Brooks, Kelly Olynyk, and Deandre Ayton would be bigger and better defensively. Redick has said he wants to play two bigs. Now he really will be able to.
Replacing Rui and Vando with Dillon and Kelly would upgrade the starters. Adding elite defenders like guard Keon Ellis and center Nick Richards would also strengthen the backups and upgrade their 10-man rotation.
This is the kind of trade Rob needs to pursue. We cannot go into another season with a roster that has too way more one-way than two-way players. There’s a limit to how much defense you can scheme. We need talent.
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