Grade the Trade: Mock deal sees Hornets send LaMelo Ball to Lakers in 3-teamer
By Jack Simone
Grade the Trade: Lakers get LaMelo Ball in mock deal with Hornets, Kings
Incoming: LaMelo Ball
Outgoing: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, 2026 first-round swap (via LAL), 2028 first-round swap (via LAL), 2029 first-round pick (via LAL; unprotected), 2031 first-round pick (via LAL; top-1 protected, converts to 2031 second-round pick if not conveyed), 2025 second-round pick (most favorable of LAL or LAC), 2030 second-round pick (via LAL)
After getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs this past season, the Los Angeles Lakers made a huge change, firing Darvin Ham and bringing in JJ Redick to be their next head coach. This would be another massive shift.
Obviously, when he’s on the court, Ball is one of the most impressive point guards in the league, on top of being one of the NBA’s best playmakers at such a young age.
The 22-year-old is amazing. But he’s never on the court.
For a Lakers team that has dealt with a ton of injury concerns throughout the years, trading for another guy who could have problems staying on the hardwood would be a questionable decision.
And even if Ball were able to consistently stay on the court, this would still be a massive haul for the Lakers. They would be sending out their entire draft cabinet for one player to form a Big 3 that will end in a couple of years when James inevitably retires.
Giving up Gabe Vincent and Jalen Hood-Schifino isn’t a big deal, but punting on Dalton Knecht before he ever plays a snap in the purple and gold is a bit risky, especially considering how solid he looked during Summer League.
At the end of the day, the Lakers would be getting an All-Star, and if Ball stays healthy, it would likely elevate them into a sure-fire playoff team and potentially a contender.
That said, that’s a big “if.”
Grade: C+