Five full days have passed since NBA teams were allowed to officially start talking to free agents from other teams, and the Los Angeles Lakers have done nothing to add any outside free agents. So far, their only signings have been Max Christie, a guard who was already on their roster, and 2024 draft picks Bronny James and Dalton Knecht.
The Lakers have watched men such as Klay Thompson and Buddy Hield go off the free agency board, and now DeMar DeRozan, another free agent they have reportedly had interest in, could be headed to the Sacramento Kings.
The only option for L.A. could now be some sort of needle-moving trade. While he’s a polarizing option, Trae Young is a star some fans want the team to trade for.
But according to Zach Lowe, the Lakers haven’t shown much interest in the three-time All-Star guard.
Via ESPN:
“The Lakers, too, have shown little recent interest in Young, sources said,” wrote Lowe. “That could change if the price drops to L.A.’s liking. But the market for Young is as chilly as it has ever been.”
Young averaged 25.7 points and 10.8 assists a game this past season, but he shot just 43% from the field and turned the ball over 4.4 times a contest. In addition, he will make $43 million this coming season, which means his price tag would likely be extremely steep for Los Angeles.