While the Atlanta Hawks vie for the 9th seed in the East, the longevity of their backcourt duo remains in question. Although the trade concerning Trae Young and Dejounjante Murray has been in the rumor mill since February, a stalemate had set in that line of speculation.

Now, recent developments rekindle that possibility and LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers are part of that equation. Especially, since Bronny James declared for the NBA Draft, the scenario’s become exceedingly interesting.

Trae Young could be a healthy choice for the Lakers

According to a recent post on X by Eric Slater, “The Hawks are expected to trade one of Trae Young or Dejounte Murray this offseason, a league source told.” This isn’t a surprise to anyone, but the question is how could it help LBJ’s crusade to play alongside Bronny.

The NBA world, including the likes of Paul Pierce, Jeff Teague, and rapper Lil Wayne has predicted that the Lakers will pursue Bronny James in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. If that’s indeed the case, Young’s backcourt abilities, backed by 25.6 points and 9.5 assists average, could add to the offensive depth of the Lakeshow, and Bron may even find a window to end up winning a title with his son.

In the current situation, if the Lakers decide to trade for Young, they’ll need a space of about $25 Million. This is because the All-Star is worth $43 Million for the year 2024-25. However, this leaves an option to trade D’Angelo Russell who comes in at $18 Million, for next year.  Reminiscent of the time the Lakers were searching for a third star in Russell Westbrook, but that went sideways and this situation can as well.

The Lakers’ interest in signing Trae may come at a cost, i.e. a ball-dominant player playing alongside LeBron. This didn’t work with Westbrook and might not work here either.

Lakers may be forced to sacrifice D’Lo

In this trade scenario, D’Lo becomes a casualty. Of late, the All-Star guard is playing on another level, spearheading the Lakers’ late-season resurgence. Though, having said that when it comes to picking him or taking their chances with Bronny James, the franchise will have to let Russell go.

However, all of this remains conjecture as the post-season remains to play out. Depending on the Lakers’ performance and the subsequent NBA Draft, the likelihood of this situation will be understood to its fullest potential. Do you think LeBron and Trae Young can bring a chip to LA? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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