Appalling Trade Package for Potential Star Target Revealed

The Los Angeles Lakers will do their best to acquire a third star to pair alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James this summer. The front office has plenty of assets to make a trade, but it takes two to tango. 

The Lakers have enough, but it will be up to the other team to cooperate and complete a deal. The purple and gold are rumored to acquire a handful of star players, including Utah Jazz All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen. 

Markkanen could be a prime candidate for the Lakes this summer; however, the price may be overboard. According to Tony Jones of The Athletic, the price for Markkanen could be 'something like four or five first-round picks.' 

"In a big picture, Markkanen’s value to the Jazz is so great that it’s going to take an offer that is probably not going to come to pry him from the Jazz," Jones writes. "Something like four or five first-round picks, and a star-level talent coming over. Markkanen is a 7-footer who shoots 40 percent from 3-point range on volume."

Potentially giving up four or five first-round picks for a one-time All-Star may be too much to handle for teams who want Markkanen's services, even for the Lakers. While Markkanen is a great player who embodies today's NBA style of play, you'll only be guaranteed his services for two seasons. The 26-year-old is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025-26 season. 

Markkanen could fit in perfectly alongside James and Davis. He is a stretch four who is a willing defender and can add a scoring punch to the squad. The former 2017 lottery pick averaged 23.2 points per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent from the three-point line, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. 

The Finland native won the 2022-23 Most Improved Player of the Year award and has made a name for himself in Salt Lake City. If he becomes available in the trade market, expect the Lakers to vie for his skillset. 

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