Lakers - get: Demar and a 2nd - give: Reaves, Russell in a sign and trade, and Vincent .. Like this for the Lakers because Demar is the perfect kind of all star vet you can bring in for a not insane price through a sign and trade, and empty the clip in LeBron’s final years. Seeing Reaves go might hurt a bit but Demar would present unmatched offensive output paired with LeBron and AD. D-Lo looks like he’s leaving anyway and Vincent hasn’t proven he’ll be healthy or serviceable when needed either.

Bulls - get: Reaves, (Grant) Williams, and a first-rounder (via the Hornets) - give: Demar, a future 2nd-round pick .. Like this for the Bulls because they get to begin retooling with more solid younger players along with Reaves now too. With Lavine potentially to follow, the Bulls could have a youth movement with Coby White, Patrick Williams, Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and now Austin Reaves. The Hornets pick in 2027 could be solid, and that comes at the price of them giving Grant Williams’ contract to the Bulls to eat (while they also sign D-Lo and trade for Vincent). A move like this lessens the potential blow of a trade to ship out Lavine at the cost of a first-rounder.

Hornets - get: Russell and Vincent - give: Williams and a future pick-swap .. Like this for the Hornets because D-Lo presents the type of guy who can step in like he did with Brooklyn a few years ago, and work with a team who’s rebuilding. His contract also is very manageable and could be used for salary-matching purposes in future trades too. Also, Gabe Vincent presents another journeyman vet who could get his scoring numbers up and become a deadline target for contenders. Worst case, he remains injury-prone and they eat the last two years of his deal. But ultimately, to get Grant Williams’ contract out + add these few pieces, that could equate to a future first (four years out) for the Hornets.