The Toronto Raptors have been the talk of the NBA lately. This team is heavily rumored to be shopping Pascal Siakam. OG Anunoby has been seen as a possible trade target as well. The Raptors are at the center of a lot of rumors.
Could the Los Angeles Lakers be getting jealous? This team is used to the spotlight. With that said, they’ve made their own noise this summer. The Lakers have made a number of significant signings over the course of the offseason.
Still, they didn’t make a splash. Arguably, the Lakers didn’t move the needle enough. With that said, if Anunoby is still on the Raptors leading up to the trade deadline, they could change that. Here’s a deal that has the wing landing on the Lakers.
The Trade Proposal
Toronto Raptors Receive: F Rui Hachimura, F/C Jarred Vanderbilt, 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: F OG Anunoby
On the other hand, being the talk of the league isn’t always a good thing. The best teams in the NBA tend to go under the radar. They don’t have to do much, so nobody’s really looking at them.
Just look at the Denver Nuggets. They haven’t been the subject of very much speculation this summer. Sure, they lost Bruce Brown. The Nuggets could look to replace him. Alternatively, they could just give Christian Braun a larger role.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Instead, failure inspires speculation. If we’re talking about a team, that probably means that they need to make significant moves. For example, the Raptors had a woefully disappointing 2022-23 season. Could they move Anunoby as a result?
Why The Toronto Raptors Do The Deal
The Raptors may have bigger priorities than Anunoby this summer. This team is widely expected to move Pascal SIakam. Perhaps they should sort that out before they shop Anunoby.
Let’s assume they move Siakam. if they’re a winning team leading up to the deadline, they may want to stand pat. That would likely mean a major leap forward from Scottie Barnes. In that event, Anunoby is likely looking the part of a long-term piece as well.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
That doesn’t feel likely to be the case. if the Raptors deal Siakam, in all likelihood, they’ll be looking at some additional long-term moves. From that perspective, flipping Anunoby for two interesting young forwards and a future first is sensible. Should the Lakers give so much up for Anunoby?
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
The Lakers are getting the best player in this deal. That alone justifies the moves. This team has LeBron James on their roster. By virtue of that fact alone, they should exclusively be thinking about the present,
Is Anunoby a good fit alongside James? Absolutely. Anunoby is a good fit alongside anyone. This is one of the best 3-and-D wings in the NBA. Anunoby is a skeleton key of a player who should make any lineup work.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The Lakers are no exception. Anunoby would be joining James and Anthony Davis to form one of the best front courts in the NBA. His floor spacing will open up the court for LeBron James to do what he does best. If everything clicks, they’ll be the talk of the NBA – again.
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