Pressure's on, Lakers! Breaking down the franchise's options (including trading LeBron James)
This is the Klutch playbook: Apply pressure. And if the Lakers don't go all-in? LeBron walks. He did it to Miami. He did it to Cleveland twice. After seven years, he could do it again in Los Angeles.
Advertisement
But Paul's right. LeBron is still a top-10 player. Top 15 at worst. Luka Dončić turns 27 next season and looks fit this summer. Maybe this year he'll keep the pounds off. He's been to an NBA Finals, two West finals, and this could be his MVP season. By going public, Paul wasn't just speaking for LeBron — he did Luka a favor by putting pressure on Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka.
(David Heringer/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Even though Luka is still young, the front office should be urgent. Windows close fast. Primes don't always last. And the Lakers haven't really gone all-in once since the 2019-20 season, losing key free agents over the years and bypassing chances to turn future draft picks into players who can help now. Even when Luka signs his max contract extension this summer, who knows if his patience would last as long as LeBron's has. If those guys are in your building, why would you enter another run with Jaxson Hayes as your starting center?
The offseason is off to a rough start though. League execs think Dorian Finney-Smith will leave, likely to Houston for more money and years. The good news: that frees up the Lakers to use their $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The bad news: doing so hard caps them at the first apron ($195.9 million), and this free agent class is weak.
Lakers trade targets?
The free agent class got a jolt when Portland bought out Deandre Ayton, who shares an agent with Luka. The Lakers are expected to show interest. But the Trail Blazers waived Ayton for the same reason Phoenix wanted to trade him away: He's flaky. Why would that change in Los Angeles? Veteran options at center include Brook Lopez or Clint Capela. But the Lakers don't need to use the $14.1 million on just one player; they could split the MLE to chase multiple guys. Say, $8 million for Lopez, and then $6.1 million for a non-big such as Bruce Brown or Larry Nance Jr.
Advertisement
Ultimately, the biggest difference-makers would come via trade though. Let's take a look at LA's assets and who they could target:
If LeBron stays in Los Angeles, who will be playing by his side? (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
(Robert Gauthier via Getty Images)
Austin Reaves: The Lakers need to stop treating Reaves like an untouchable cornerstone. He's a good scorer, but his skill set is fairly redundant on a roster with LeBron and Luka. Even with just Luka, neither of them are defensive stoppers. Reaves can also become an unrestricted free agent in 2026, so his big money deal is approaching.
Dalton Knecht: He could also have value entering his second season.
Expiring contracts: Gabe Vincent ($11.5 million), Maxi Kleber ($11 million), and Jordan Goodwin ($2.4 million) are on expiring deals and are totally expendable. If DFS leaves, it becomes harder to part with Rui Hachimura ($18.3 million), but he's not necessarily a keeper.
Advertisement
Draft picks: The Lakers can also trade one first-round pick in 2031 or 2032, and swap up to four firsts in 2026, 2028, 2030, and 2031 or 2032. They only have their second-round pick in 2032.
With their assets, the Lakers need more athletic scorers and defensive tone-setters who could be the modern versions of Alex Caruso and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Some realistic trade target options include:
Bigs: Walker Kessler, Isaiah Stewart, Yves Missi
Forwards: Herb Jones, Miles Bridges, Jerami Grant
Guards: Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu, Devin Carter
If the Lakers sign a center in free agency, it wouldn't necessarily preclude them from targeting another one. Having multiple bigs would be vital in having lineup versatility, giving head coach JJ Redick the ability to play with just one or two bigs depending on the situation. It's a necessity in the modern NBA. Unless of course the Lakers don't view LeBron as part of that picture.
Trade LeBron?
Maybe LeBron is the timeline conflict. Luka doesn't need mentorship. He doesn't need to share touches. What he needs is a flexible roster with defenders, decision-makers, and shooters. That's hard to build when LeBron is the highest-paid player and still great enough to receive a central role. If the Lakers believe LeBron muddies Luka's path, a clean break starts to make sense.
Advertisement
If LeBron does decide it's in his best interest to move on, the Lakers could extract value from a team. He has a no-trade clause, so he can shrink the market. But unless a buyout is coming, any deal for him still requires salary to come back, which means the Lakers would get something useful in return.
Well, maybe. Let's take a look at five teams that could theoretically want LeBron and the type of salaries they'd have to give up to acquire him:
Would LeBron want to finish out his career in Cleveland? (Photo by)
(Jason Miller via Getty Images)
Cleveland Cavaliers: Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, and Max Strus
A deal between the Cavaliers and Lakers would be extremely difficult since Cleveland is a second apron team, meaning the front office can't aggregate salaries without moving under the second apron. A third and maybe a fourth team would have to get involved.
Advertisement
Also, despite Cleveland's clear holes, are we sure giving up Garland and Allen, both in their mid-Nikola Jokić20s, for old LeBron is in their best interests? Or should the Cavs look for changes elsewhere?
New York Knicks: OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Miles McBride
There are tons of other combinations that work too. The Knicks could also give up Karl-Anthony Towns instead, which would be the cleanest possible trade. Instead of OG, Mikal Bridges and smaller salaries could be sent out.
But the Knicks are hoping for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Does it really make sense to blow their salaries and assets on a 40-year-old LeBron?
Advertisement
Dallas Mavericks: Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Cody Martin, Jaden Hardy
A ton of combos would work including ones with Klay Thompson. But it'd be easy to see the appeal for LeBron to team up again with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. Then again, what if half the rotation is gone? With Irving out until at least midway through the season, there's a lot of risk for both him and for Dallas.
Denver Nuggets: Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, Dario Saric, Julian Strawther
Nikola Jokić and LeBron teaming up could lead to some pretty beautiful basketball. And LeBron is a clear upgrade for the Nuggets without sacrificing any other core pieces. Between MPJ, Nnaji, and Saric, they'd actually be giving up three of their worst contracts. This one would actually make some sense if LeBron wanted to play out possibly the final season of his career in Denver.
Advertisement
Golden State Warriors: Jimmy Butler
A trade doesn't get any easier than this one. These salaries match perfectly. And James would be a major upgrade over Butler, since he brings some of the same qualities as a defender but is a far superior scorer.
Butler is a poor fit with Luka, though, so maybe the Lakers would want to flip him elsewhere. Who might want him? Phoenix. So a mega-trade involving the Rockets and Suns could always make reasonable sense with LeBron and Bronny to Golden State, Butler to Phoenix, Kevin Durant to Houston, and Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to Los Angeles.
Maybe these trades are a silly exercise. After Paul made his statement on Sunday, all the talk around the NBA has been that LeBron is angling for a buyout from Los Angeles. This is because most teams wouldn't want to gut their rosters for a 40-year-old possibly entering the final season of his career. If it did come to that, the Lakers could obviously just say: Why'd you opt in if you wanted to leave? Why wouldn't you have just taken a discount if you wanted the roster to improve? Or they could just say: Sure, thanks for the memories, you're free to go. And if that were to happen, a long list of teams would be lined up hoping to sign him.
Maybe LeBron stays, and the Lakers run it back with a patched-up bench. But Rich Paul didn't go on the record just to chit-chat. He set the tone. And whether LeBron stays or goes, the Lakers need to stop pretending this roster makes sense. They built a brand chasing stars. Now they've got two, and no clue what to do with them.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Famous Amos Recognizes Three Emerging Black-Owned Enterprises with $50,000 Business Awards
Now in its fifth year, Famous Amos's Ingredients for Success program supports early-stage Black businesses and honors the entrepreneurial spirit of Wally Amos CHICAGO, July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Famous Amos, in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc (USBC), has announced the winners of its fifth annual Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative (IFS). IFS supports pathways for early-stage Black business owners to thrive by providing $50,000 to three organizations each, in addition to mentorship, networking and educational resources. The 2025 winners include: Terminal B, a Los Angeles-based fragrance company founded by Chris and Fay Breedlove that produces handcrafted candles and fragrances inspired by global destinations – redefining how we experience travel from home. Arcarea Adult Day Center, a Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based wellness organization founded by Aracelis Rittenburg that addresses healthcare inequities and provides holistic care for seniors with dementia. Money Honey LLC, a Los Angeles-based financial coaching company founded by Taryn Ferrer that provides money management strategies and education to help women build wealth. "Our judges reviewed hundreds of applications from passionate business owners who are making a remarkable impact in their communities," said Rachna Patel, Vice President of Marketing for Famous Amos. "Terminal B, Arcarea Adult Day Center and Money Honey LLC are incredibly deserving of these awards, and we're excited to work with them to grow their businesses and help achieve their dreams. We're humbled to champion the next generation of Black business leaders and carry on the legacy of our founder Wally Amos." In addition to being the fifth year of IFS, this year also marks Famous Amos's 50th anniversary, which the brand celebrates through its Famously You campaign honoring Wally Amos's "famously" authentic spirit. To commemorate the milestone, Famous Amos launched limited-edition Collectors Edition packaging featuring original 1975 graphics. In May, the brand hosted a free block party in Hollywood, recreating the community events Wally Amos organized in the 1970s and '80s. The IFS announcement further celebrates Wally Amos by honoring his birthday, July 1. "My father built Famous Amos from the ground up to become one of the most recognizable cookie brands in the world," said Shawn Amos, entrepreneur, author and son of the late Wally Amos. "His story is like a lot of other Black entrepreneurs who have passion and vision but often lack access to resources or funding to help them succeed long term. It means so much to my family that Famous Amos is continuing my father's legacy and paying it forward to help rising entrepreneurs thrive." Created in 2020, IFS has awarded 12 business owners a total of $600,000 over the past four years – promoting economic empowerment for early-stage Black entrepreneurs. This year's distinguished panel of judges included Shawn Amos; Steve Canal, Founder of ONE Venture Group, bestselling author and branding expert; and Brittany Rhodes, Founder of Math Equals Me and previous IFS winner. Beyond IFS, USBC provides valuable resources that small business owners can take advantage of, including training, business development and engagement opportunities. More information is available at "My father dedicated his life to doing what he loved and inspiring people," Amos said. "Famously You doesn't just celebrate his life and work – it also celebrates the fans who made his dream a reality. It reflects the brand's ongoing impact in empowering people to be authentic to themselves and pursue their dreams. It's a powerful full-circle moment, and I'm grateful to be part of it." Stay tuned to Famous Amos's socials for the latest brand news: Threads, Facebook and Instagram, where you can learn more about the 2025 IFS winners. About Famous AmosFamous Amos is a beloved brand that started in 1975, famous for its classic chocolate chip cookies. Founded by Wally Amos, a passionate Black entrepreneur, Famous Amos grew from a bakery in Hollywood, California into a brand serving millions of customers across the United States. In 2020, Famous Amos began a major philanthropic effort, the Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative. Now in its fifth year, this initiative creates positive change and economic empowerment for early-stage Black entrepreneurs. Ingredients for Success celebrates the qualities that make each business owner unique and fosters long-term success for their businesses. About Ferrero®Ferrero began in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world's largest sweet-packaged food companies, with over 35 iconic brands sold in more than 170 countries. The Ferrero Group brings joy to people around the world with much-loved treats and snacks including Nutella®, Kinder®, Tic Tac®, and Ferrero Rocher®. More than 47,000 employees are passionate about helping people celebrate life's special moments. The Ferrero Group's family culture, now in its third generation, is based on dedication to quality and excellence, heritage and a commitment to the planet and communities in which we operate. Ferrero entered the North American market in 1969 and has grown to more than 5,400 employees in 15 plants and warehouses, and eight offices in North America across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. It has expanded its presence and portfolio with the addition of iconic brands such as Butterfinger®, CRUNCH®, Keebler®, Famous Amos®, Mother's Cookies®, and other distinctive cookie and chocolate brands. Follow @FerreroNACorp on Twitter and Instagram. CONTACT: Rob Tate, rtate@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Famous Amos Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
With Damian Lillard's time in Milwaukee coming to an abrupt end, what's next for the star guard?
The Milwaukee Bucks are waiving superstar point guard Damian Lillard, using the stretch provision in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement to wipe the final two years and $113 million of his contract off of their balance sheet, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Tuesday. The dramatic move comes just over two months after Lillard, who turns 35 in two weeks, ruptured his left Achilles tendon during Game 4 of Milwaukee's first-round playoff matchup with the Indiana Pacers — an injury that's expected to keep him sidelined for most, if not all, of the 2025-26 NBA season. Advertisement It will also create the salary-cap space for the Bucks to sign free-agent center Myles Turner, who helped lead the Pacers to the 2025 NBA Finals, to a four-year, $107 million contract to man the 5 spot next to Giannis Antetokounmpo — giving Milwaukee's two-time MVP a new floor-spacing, rim-protecting frontcourt running buddy after the similarly styled Brook Lopez, Antetokounmpo's partner for the last seven seasons, agreed to terms to join the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, after the start of the NBA's 2025 free agency period. The waive-and-stretch brings an abrupt end to Lillard's 21-month tenure in Milwaukee — a time that seemed poised to produce one of the great inside-out partnerships in recent NBA history, but that wound up, due to a combination of ill-timed injuries, inconsistency and awful luck, leading to zero 50-win campaigns, zero postseason series victories, and just three total playoff game wins over two seasons. Viewed through one lens, it's a brutal twist of the knife for Lillard, who finally pushed his way out of Portland after 11 seasons as the Trail Blazers' standard-bearer in pursuit of greener championship-contending pastures, but whose best-laid plans never came to fruition. Advertisement Lillard produced, because he always does: 24.6 points on .604 true shooting, 7.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 35.7 minutes per game across two seasons in Milwaukee, finishing 10th in the NBA in points and assists per game and 11th in offensive estimated plus-minus last season. But he never quite found a rhythm in the two-man game with Antetokounmpo, never quite established the short-hand that can help make a team more than the sum of its all-time great parts, and never quite proved to be the order-of-magnitude offensive upgrade that justified moving on from defensive title-winning stalwart Jrue Holiday — a realization that proved particularly painful when Holiday got re-routed to Boston and immediately became a vital two-way contributor to the Celtics' 2024 NBA championship. The ending feels particularly devastating for Dame considering all that precipitated it. He'd been diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf in late March, mere weeks before the end of the regular season, an affliction that many expected would sideline him for the remainder of the Bucks' season. But he fought his way back in time for the second game of Round 1 against Indiana, a quicker recovery than 'has [ever] been seen before' … only to tear his Achilles just six minutes into Game 4. While plenty of observers saw the injury as an inflection point for Lillard — a moment that could come to define the final act of the career of one of the 75 greatest players in NBA history — I'm not sure anyone expected it to be followed, barely two months later, by the Bucks cutting bait on him. Everyone knows the NBA is a business; every once in a while, though, you're reminded just how cold it can be. If you view it through that lens, that is: While we wait to see where Lillard lands, the Bucks move on. Advertisement The stretch provision allows NBA teams to waive a player by taking the amount of guaranteed salary he's owed and spreading it out over a period of twice the number of years remaining on his contract, plus one more season — provided the stretched amount does not exceed 15% of the salary cap. (This, as Fred Katz recently explained at The Athletic, is why the Suns can't stretch what's left of Bradley Beal's deal; in combination with the previously stretched contracts of E.J. Liddell and Nassir Little, going that route would leave Phoenix with an amount of dead money larger than 15% of this season's cap line.) Lillard was just about to start the two-year, $112.6 million extension he signed with the Portland Trail Blazers back in the summer of 2022. Stretching that amount creates a dead-money charge just north of $22.5 million — about $680,000 south of 15% of the cap, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks — and the Bucks will have to carry that historically large number on their books in every season through 2030. That unmovable $22.5 million annual charge looms as a mammoth roster-management impediment for Milwaukee over the next half-decade — the kind of prolonged and protracted dead weight that can make maneuvering in pursuit of title contention through the back end of Antetokounmpo's prime even more difficult than it already figured to be. But with Giannis only guaranteed to be under contract in Milwaukee for two more seasons — he holds a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28 — the only future the Bucks can realistically plan for is the one right in front of their faces. Advertisement And so: yet another incredibly aggressive win-now move from the team that brought you the trades for Holiday and Lillard (not to mention like a decade's worth of second-round picks for Nikola Mirotić and Jae Crowder). General manager Jon Horst and the rest of the Bucks' braintrust decided that attempting to avoid wasting the first of those two guaranteed Giannis seasons on a gap year while Lillard, now essentially a $54.1 million dead cap hit for next season anyway, rehabilitates — that moving on from him in a fashion that allowed them to replace Lopez with a younger championship-caliber 3-and-D center in Turner, and hopefully putting themselves in position to remain in the playoff picture in an Eastern Conference ravaged by injuries and roiling in uncertainty — was worth swallowing hard and taking that $22.5 million year-over-year hit. After all, Antetokounmpo is 30 years old, still performing at an MVP level, and very clearly focused on continuing to pursue a second NBA championship. He is the face of the franchise, the prime mover in all things Bucks, the greatest player Milwaukee has seen since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the one who brought the organization back to the mountaintop after 50 years away; if you're not doing everything you can to make him happy, to make sure he wants to stay, to give him a team that he believes he can lead back to that summit, then what are you really doing? Advertisement Whether Tuesday's breathtaking revision of the Bucks' financial and on-court future accomplishes those goals — making him happy, making sure he wants to stay, giving him a team he can believe in — remains to be seen. Some reporting suggests that Antetokounmpo didn't like the Bucks moving on from Lillard in this manner; some suggests that Antetokounmpo and Turner 'valued the opportunity to partner together on the court,' and that Giannis effectively recruited Turner to Milwaukee. Your mileage, as ever, may vary. The Bucks exited the regular season looking to be all but out of options to construct a contending roster around Antetokounmpo over the balance of Lillard's deal. They exit the first two days of free agency having added Turner in Lopez's place, brought back Bobby Portis, Gary Trent Jr., Kevin Porter Jr., Taurean Prince and Jericho Sims, flipped Pat Connaughton's contract (with a pair of future second-rounders) for Serbian guard Vasilije Micić (who's reportedly heading back to Europe, the savings from which should finish the job of creating the room to add Turner), and landed Gary Harris as another backcourt shooter off the bench to join holdovers Kyle Kuzma and 2024 second-round pick Tyler Smith, with A.J. Green, Andre Jackson Jr. and Chris Livingston all on non-guaranteed deals, and Ryan Rollins lingering in restricted free agency. It feels like you have to squint awfully hard to see that core contending for an NBA championship. In a decimated East, though — with the Celtics shedding starters for luxury tax relief, with the Pacers now down the starting point guard and starting center from their Finals team, with the Knicks still lacking a head coach — you might be able to convince yourself that, with Antetokounmpo leading the charge, this revamped version of the Bucks has as good a puncher's chance as some of the other reloaded outfits (Orlando, Atlanta) that are now taking aim at the top of the conference. And if that's the way Giannis feels — if he sees this as a step in the right direction, despite the discomfort of bidding Dame adieu — then it's the path the Bucks had to walk.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Three Biggest Winners Of NBA Free Agency
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 19: Cameron Johnson #2 of the Brooklyn Nets looks to pass as Jamal Murray ... More #27 and Michael Porter Jr. #1 of the Denver Nuggets defend during the first half at Barclays Center on March 19, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) Day one of NBA free agency got off to a busy start as organizations re-signed key players and made valuable additions to their existing rosters for the upcoming season. A collection of teams were already active on the trade market pre-dating the start of free agency and kept their feet on the gas with various signings during the legal tampering period. Below are three NBA teams that finished the night as winners from transactions made before the draft and up to now. 1. Houston Rockets HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 04: Head coach Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets celebrates with Amen Thompson ... More #1 and Fred VanVleet #5 after a timeout is called by the Houston Rockets during the third quarter in Game Seven of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 04, 2025 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) The Rockets started their offseason moves before the draft by trading their 2025 top-10 pick, five second round picks, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks to the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant. Even at 36 years old, Durant posted one of his more efficient seasons with the Suns, averaging nearly 27 points per game on 52/43/84 efficient shooting splits last season. The move for Durant emphasized Houston's intent to go all-in for the upcoming season after its successful 52-30 campaign in 2025. From there, the Rockets bolstered its wing depth by signing Dorian Finney-Smith to a four-year deal to replace Dillon Brooks' three-and-d production. The Clint Capela signing may be perceived as slight overkill, but it provides depth to the center position behind Steven Adams, who, while they did extend, has an injury-riddled track record. The center rotation of Adams and Capela gives Houston tons of versatility on the frontline that they didn't have a few seasons ago. By getting Durant, Houston didn't have to sacrifice the heart of its young core in the process. Jabari Smith Jr. was not only not moved, but extended on a rookie contract that makes his services affordable at the price of just $25 million per year. Paired with rising talents such as Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, Houston has the veteran talent and young pieces to make a genuine run in the Western Conference this upcoming season. 2. Denver Nuggets DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 29: Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets reacts after a dunk against the ... More Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on April 29, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) There was no denying that the Denver Nuggets were somewhat constricted in what they could do roster-wise with money tied into their 2023 championship core. So, the franchise decided to part ways with Michael Porter Jr.'s large contract in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, which led to them acquiring small forward Cam Johnson in return. The Cam Johnson deal required Denver to shell out an unprotected 2032 first-round selection for his services, but the move made valuable sense for the Nuggets title aspirations. Johnson has the cheaper contract, is just as good of a shooter as MPJ and presents better portability during the playoffs due to his defensive nature. The return of Bruce Brown on a one-year deal may have been one of Denver's most underrated additions of the offseason. Brown will regain his role as the team's backup floor general and will thrive as a cutter, screener, and transition player in his minutes with Jokic and Murray. The team also moved the contract of Dario Saric to the Sacramento Kings for a backup big in Jonas Valanciunas. Valanciunas provides the team a legitimate backup center to keep the offense somewhat functional during the non-Jokic minutes. With Jokic in his prime, the window for Denver to win a title is slim, but realistic. Surrounding the team with players that align with the Joker's skillset is valuable, and the few additions they did make prioritize that greatly. 3. Atlanta Hawks NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 11: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates the win with ... More teammate Jalen Johnson #1 after the game against the New York Knicks in the quarterfinal game of the Emirates NBA Cup at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 2024 in New York City. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 108-100 to advance to the semifinal round. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo) Atlanta seized the moment in a wide-open East by going all-in around point guard Trae Young. Adding Kristaps Porzingis to their starting five provides a five-out lineup that features optimal spacing in the frontcourt, allowing Young to get to the rack and either finish for himself or initiate plays for others. The Nickeil Alexander-Walker signing gives Atlanta yet another wing defender to protect its point guard at the point-of-attack while also providing them an extra offensive initiator when Young isn't on the floor. How NAW fits into the Hawks' starting five remains to be seen, but he instantly becomes a multi-tool spark plug off the bench. Luke Kennard isn't the two-way player that Porzingis and Alexander-Walker are, but he's been one of the game's best shooters from three, according to the percentages. An added gun to the team's uptempo offense will only bolster their offense. Atlanta has clearly brought in personnel designed to push the pace on offense and applies intense perimeter pressure on defense. Under Quinn Snyder, the team may approach top-five offense and defense rankings in a winnable Eastern Conference next year.
