It would make sense for the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers to be trading partners.
As one of the sellers on the trade market, the Portland Trail Blazers are considered a match for a number of other teams.
One of those clubs is the Los Angeles Lakers, who writer Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report thinks would be a perfect trade partner for the Blazers.
The Blazers may still be a few years away from having a winning product, despite having some intriguing, skilled young players. Although adding players to the mix would make sense, eliminating guys—most notably [Jerami] Grant’s remaining $132.4 million deal (over four seasons)—might be more alluring.
The Los Angeles Lakers might feel under pressure to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis in the lineup given their extremely different schedule. The Lakers do not now forfeit their two potential first-round selections in 2029 and 2031, but Portland might be able to wait patiently and secure that holdout before the deadline.
It would be necessary to request those future first-round selections if the Lakers show interest in trading Grant, Anfernee Simons, or Deandre Ayton to the Blazers.
With LeBron on the club, the Lakers’ window of opportunity to win is rapidly narrowing, but they have no intention of turning into a tanking team. The Lakers may give the Blazers even more leverage as they go with their reconstruction if they were prepared to sell those picks that should convey after they are eliminated from contention.
Those selections do not seem to be on sale as of right now, but things could change in February.
