Shoutout to AG_Atto0 who does this every single year for all thirty teams. This season, I wanted to do my own version for the Los Angeles Lakers, my favorite team. Remember, this is ideal so things are slightly tilted towards the Lakers favor. This is my 2nd version, but this time, we are trading LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Please comment if the trades are fair, what you would do differently, and what team I should do next!
Coaching Change
Replace Darvin Ham with David Adelman
Trades
Trade C Anthony Davis to the Atlanta Hawks in a 3 team deal including the Brooklyn Nets
LAL receives: C Clint Capela, F Jalen Johnson, G/F Dariq Whitehead, 10th overall pick, a 2027 PHX 1st, and a 2029 ATL 1st
ATL receives: C Anthony Davis, F Dorian Finney-Smith, and F Maxwell Lewis
BKN receives: G Dejounte Murray
Trade F LeBron James to the New York Knicks in a 3 team deal including the Dallas Mavericks
LAL receives: F Bojan Bogdanovic, G/F Tim Hardaway Jr., G/F Josh Green, F Olivier-Maxence Prosper, 24th overall pick, and a 2028 1st Round Pick Swap via NYK
NYK receives: F LeBron James and the 55th overall pick (to draft Bronny James)
DAL receives: PF Julius Randle
Draft
Draft SG/SF Cody Williams from Colorado with the 10th overall pick
Draft C Yves Messi from Baylor with the 17th overall pick
Draft SG Johnny Murphy from Kansas with the 24th overall pick
Free Agency
Waive PF/C Christian Wood
Buy out F Bojan Bogdanovic
Re-sign restricted free agent SG Max Christie on a 3 year deal worth $16.5M
Rotation
Starters: Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Jalen Johnson, Rui Hachimura, Clint Capela
Backup Five: Gabe Vincent, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, Cody Williams, Jarred Vanderbilt
Rest of the Bench: Jalen Hood-Schifino, Johnny Murphy, Dariq Whitehead, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Yves Messi
Season Goals
Austin Reaves averages over 20 PPG as the #1 option
Cody Williams is a candidate for Rookie of the Year
Gabe Vincent and Tim Hardaway Jr. perform well off the bench to be trade candidates
While this team will not be very good during the 2024-25 regular season, it will be a season of development. They will not have their pick in 2025 as the Pelicans are likely to defer the choice, but they will have a valuable Phoenix pick in 2027 which will be unprotected and a 2029 Atlanta first round pick that could be really good. I'd expect this team to go about 25-57 but hopefully, it will all be worth it.