The Los Angeles Lakers (23-13) remain a top team in the Western Conference, but most agree the roster is a few pieces away from hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy at season’s end.
Behind the trio of Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, the Lakers lack talent. One specific issue, however, is their backcourt depth and defensive prowess to support Dončić and Reaves.
Pulling themselves into a blockbuster trade involving Ja Morant could be the perfect way to solve this need.
Lakers Predicted To Acquire Ochai Agbaji
The Toronto Raptors are outperforming expectations this season as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 23-16. It’s likely that Toronto’s front office believes it’s a single star piece away from truly contending for a title.
Enter Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, who has been at the center of trade rumors in recent weeks. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie predicts the Raptors could trade for Morant in a three-team blockbuster deal with the Grizzlies and Lakers. The proposed trade details are as follows:
Raptors receive: Ja Morant
Grizzlies receive: Immanuel Quickley, Ja’Kobe Walter, Gabe Vincent, 2026 Toronto first-round pick, 2032 Lakers second-round pick
Lakers receive: Ochai Agbaji, John Konchar
This is a huge win for the Raptors, as they’re able to pair Morant alongside their star forward duo of Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram for just a few assets.
The Lakers play the smallest role in this deal but add a solid rotational piece in Agbaji, who is in the final season of a four-year, $18 million contract. Vecenie explained why Los Angeles would agree to this move, writing, “With the Lakers’ limited assets and a seeming desire to try to hold onto their own first-round picks, their options to shore up the wing position with more athleticism and defense are limited.”
Vecenie continued, “In this deal, they pay only a second to Memphis to be able to get Agbaji and Konchar, both of whom are at least end-of-rotation players with athleticism.”
It’s near impossible for the Lakers to add another star to the mix given their asset pool, so focusing on smaller acquisitions like Agbaji is the route to take.
