Why do the Lakers keep trading away young promising players? Well, they are always in win now mode, that’s why. I wouldn’t mind seeing some of these guys develop in a Lakers uniform but there’s no time for development in Laker Land. It’s win now at all costs. Let’s take a look at some of the trades the Lakers have made in recent years involving these young promising guys.
The Anthony Davis Trade (With NO)
This trade happened in the fall of 2019. The Lakers traded away Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and some draft picks for Anthony Davis. What can you say? Anthony Davis was young and hungry! All of these players the Lakers sent out were promising. They just weren’t on the same winning timeline as Lebron James. These guys needed more opportunities to grow before they would be major playoff contributors on a Championship contender. All I was thinking when the trade chatter was going down was, “please don’t trade away both Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma”. And the Lakers didn’t trade away both. They kept Kuzma. He was part of a championship winning team in 2020, being the 3rd offensive weapon and really putting in effort on defense. But what about the other young players since that trade? Thanks for asking. Lets take a look at them.
Lonzo Ball has been consistently hurt, missing two whole basketball season in 2022-23 and 2023-24. He is a decent player and a good defender when he is healthy but that’s about it. The teams he has been on have never been to the playoffs. Here’s his stats.
Now let’s take a look at Brandon Ingram. Although he has blossomed into a pretty good scorer, his game has not impacted New Orleans enough for them to become a perennial playoff team. However, the Pelicans did make the playoffs twice in Ingram’s five full seaons there (He was just traded a few days ago to Toronto during his 6th season). They lost in the 1st round both times though, in 2021-22 and in 2023-24. He does have some pretty good scoring stats.
Now it’s time to look at Josh Hart. Although the least talented of the three players in the Anthony Davis trade, he has had the biggest impact. He stays healthy and he is a swiss army knife of a player whatever team he is on. He consistently provides energy, rebounding, defense, toughness and scoring for the NY Knicks, a championship contender. But again, the Lakers got back Anthony Davis, a top 7-15 player then and now, and won a championship. Hart and Ingram have been good but AD has been better. Great trade for the Lakers.
The Russell Westbrook Trade
After losing in the 1st round in the 2021 playoffs, the Lakers traded another young piece away in Kyle Kuzma. They used his contract along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s contract to acquire Russell Westbrook. We all know the Russ experience did not mix with the Lebron-AD Lakers, regardless of what Kuzma’s stats look like. Kuz could have helped the the Lakers be better these last few seasons, even if it wouldnt have led to another championship. Again, Russ was just an odd fit from the get go. Bad trade for the Lakers.
The Luka Doncic Trade
What can you say here? Regardless of Luka’s perceived weight issues, holding the ball too long and not being a good defender, the Lakers received a top 5 NBA player here. He is also just 25 years old and just led his former team to the NBA Finals in 2024. Sure they had to trade away Anthony Davis to get him, but the Lebron-AD Lakers had run it’s course. They weren’t ever going to be at the top of the Western Conference anymore. They tried to add a star (Westbrook trade) and that didn’t pan out. They tried for 4 years after the 2020 bubble championship to add around the Lebron-AD partnership. It didn’t work. However, Im not worried about the Anthony Davis effect here. They traded away another young promising player in Max Christie, who’s just 21 years old!
Christie was their go-to-guy to cover the other team’s best perimeter player. He was blossoming defensively and offensively as you can see above. He also is a good rebounder, wiry strong and has some quick hops. I really hate that they had to give this guy up. But that’s the cost of getting a top 5 player (Luka is top 5 when he is in shape). Good trade by the Lakers.
The (Gulp) Mark Williams Trade?
I’ve never heard of this Mark Williams guy. He’s a young talent, being only 23 years old. He’s also supposed to be a good defensive center who can roll to the rim and finish lobs from Luka and Lebron. His stats look good but he has had major problems staying healthy, playing in less than 50% of his games since being drafted in 2022. He better work out because the Lakers traded away, um yeah, another young talented player in Dalton Knecht. Knecht is the real deal offensively. He went on a serious heater in this game below. The clip is 3 minutes long but it’s worth it. Believe me.
Knecht just didn’t get a chance to play a lot in L.A. His defense is very suspect but he will be a real offensive weapon for Charlotte, if he gets the chance. You only see the 3 point shot above but this guy can score at all three levels. Laker fans have seen it. I hope he gets traded to another organization that knows how to actually build a good, winning team. Charlotte is probably not that team. But hey, Dalton was another casualty of the Lakers chasing championships in the Lebron James era. I get it. The jury is still out on this trade though!
So there it is. All the young players the Lakers have traded away (that I care about) to chase championships. That’s Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma, Max Christie and Dalton Knecht. That’s a lot of good young talent. But guess what, Rob Pelinka drafted all of them. Hart and Kuzma were late 1st round picks. Christie was a 2nd round pick so he is sort of a Diamond in the rough, found money. Guess who else was a 2nd round pick four years ago? Yes, Austin Reaves. Pelinka and his scouts know how to find talent. So even though the Lakers trade their young talented players away, they will find another 2nd round hidden jewel. Or a late 1st rounder that everyone passed on. That’s what Rob does! He will find more young talent for the Lakers. Nice job Pelinka. Let’s win another championship, now!