The Los Angeles Lakers’ (19-8) backcourt lacks depth behind the duo of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
While Marcus Smart offers a lot on the defensive end, Los Angeles does not have a scoring guard in their second unit. This isn’t a glaring need because Dončić and Reaves are averaging a combined 61.9 points, but an off-ball three-point specialist could help the rotation.
This could happen if the Lakers involve themselves in a wild four-team trade involving Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis.
Lakers Predicted To Acquire Buddy Hield
The Golden State Warriors (15-15) have struggled to meet expectations thus far but appear laser-focused on hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy with Stephen Curry at the helm once again.
In hopes of accomplishing this, ESPN predicts the following deal could take place between the Lakers, Warriors, Mavericks, and Charlotte Hornets:
Warriors receive: Anthony Davis, Mason Plumlee
Mavericks receive: Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, 2026 first-round pick (via Warriors)
Lakers receive: Buddy Hield
Hornets receive: Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Cash considerations (via Lakers)
The Hornets and Lakers are significantly less involved in this trade. Charlotte gets to take a swing on 24-year-old Knecht while potentially slotting Kleber into the bottom of their rotation.
Los Angeles adds a sharpshooter in Hield, who is averaging 7.7 points on a career-low 32.6% shooting from three-point range. The 33-year-old guard has two guaranteed seasons remaining on his four-year, $37 million contract before having a player option for the 2027-2028 campaign. This means the Lakers are banking on Hield to revert to his former self.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks broke down why the Warriors and Mavericks would agree to this blockbuster move, writing, “The trade to acquire Green and Kuminga allows Dallas to remain competitive in the West while giving it financial flexibility in the near future. But considering 2026 is the only year the Mavericks control their first-round pick until 2031, is chasing a play-in spot worth it?
Marks continued, “And the addition of Davis to a core of Curry and Jimmy Butler III could easily work, helping the Warriors climb out the West’s bottom half and lessen the value of that 2026 pick.”
The Warriors certainly inch closer to the top tier of title contenders in the Western Conference if Davis is brought into the mix, while the Mavericks decide to kickstart the Cooper Flagg era.
