Lakers may reunite LeBron with former No. 2 overall pick via stunning trade, per writer

A protect upgrade and tin three-point shooter astatine nan defender position could thief nan Los Angeles Lakers successful a awesome measurement heading into nan 2025-26 campaign.

Luka Dončić needs a backcourt partner that tin shield nan ex-Dallas Mavericks superstar connected that broadside of nan floor, and LeBron James could usage different knockdown shooting threat to abstraction nan floor. 

Los Angeles' deflating five-game bid conclusion astatine nan hands of nan Minnesota Timberwolves successful nan first information of nan 2025 NBA Playoffs showed conscionable really overmuch activity is near to beryllium done for nan franchise's wide head Rob Pelinka, moreover aft acquiring Dončić from nan Mavericks anterior to nan Feb. 6 waste and acquisition deadline this past season.

In an effort to supply his 2 ascendant talents pinch a cleanable domiciled player, recent updates person indicated that Pelinka and nan Lakers' beforehand agency could beryllium willing successful contacting nan Chicago Bulls to hammer retired nan specifications connected a woody to return Lonzo Ball to nan franchise that drafted him pinch nan No. 2 wide prime successful nan 2017 NBA Draft.

"Do you deliberation nan Lakers would beryllium willing successful a Lonzo (Ball) reunion?" The Athletic's Jovan Buha publication during a caller Q&A livestream connected Monday night.

"I do, I deliberation they would be. It's conscionable a matter of what his value is."

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"And you person to facet successful nan wellness and nan history there. You can't moreover pencil him successful for 60 games, truthful immoderate you're giving up for him, location has to beryllium immoderate level of a discount."

"He's a feline you person to load manage, like, 'How tin we load negociate him to get to mid-April successful 1 piece?"

At 27 years old, nan 6-foot-6 two-way constituent defender took portion successful only 35 games successful 2024-25 aft missing nan erstwhile 2 afloat seasons owed to injury. Even still, a patient Ball could beryllium a existent difference-maker for a title contender adjacent season. 

If Los Angeles were to entertain nan thought of looking past his caller wounded history and offering a woody to nan Bulls, a package of Dalton Knecht and Shake Milton could beryllium capable to get a woody crossed nan decorativeness line.

Ball put together a promising, but wildly inefficient play successful 2024-25, arsenic he contributed 7.6 points and 3.3 assists connected an abysmal 50.4% effective section extremity percentage. However, his effect arsenic a defender remained visible.

Through those 35 contests this season, Ball registered a career-best 1.7 protect container plus-minus and a serviceable 113 protect standing per 100 possessions on pinch 1.3 steals.

His aggressiveness and earthy small heart connected nan protect extremity could make him a viable target for nan Lakers connected nan waste and acquisition front, particularly if he tin deed unfastened catch-and-shoot looks from distance. 

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