Lakers Land OG Anunoby In Proposed Blockbuster Trade
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly been in the market for a marquee player that can be a game-changer for them. Unfortunately, not a lot of good options exist on the market right now. They’ve been heavily linked with Zach LaVine, a scorer who is on an inflated contract and is currently watching his current team be better without him. There are other options to explore, and an option that sits in Toronto.
OG Anunoby is expected to head into free agency this season. There’s been tension between the Raptors front office and Anunoby, with the English forward reportedly wanting out last winter and is now unlikely to stay without a massive contract extension from Toronto. With the Raptors missing the boat on moving Anunoby when his value was at its highest, they could get some value back by moving him now for the Lakers’ most prized young asset.
Trade Details
Toronto Raptors Receive: Austin Reaves, Taurean Prince, 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: OG Anunoby
The Lakers part ways with Austin Reaves, a valuable young player on an affordable long-term contract, but upgrade by acquiring a perennial All-Defensive Team contender Anunoby.
The Toronto Raptors Begin The Process Of Rebuilding
The Raptors have forcefully avoided a rebuild for years now. Since the end of the 2019-20 season, it’s been clear that the Raptors aren’t contending among the top of the East anymore. They’ve missed the playoffs twice in the last three years but have a future wing to build around with Scottie Barnes. With Pascal Siakam also having taken shots from Masai Ujiri as he waits for a possible supermax extension, the Raptors could begin their teardown by moving Anunoby and then dealing Siakam.
If Barnes is the future superstar of the Raptors, pairing him up with a talent like Austin Reaves makes sense. He’s averaging 14.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists, showing versatility across backcourt positions. He already has chemistry with current Raptors point guard Dennis Schroder and would thrive in Darko Rajakovic’s new offensive system in Toronto. The Lakers will not want to part with him and would likely offer the likes of Rui Hachimura and maybe even D’Angelo Russell before Reaves, but the promise Reaves shows while being 25 years old could be a bet that the Raptors are more comfortable with.
The value of future Laker picks was discovered last year, as they managed to get three rotational players for Russell Westbrook and one top-four protected pick in 2027. By 2029, there’s no telling where the Lakers could be but it definitely will be a team without LeBron James and likely Anthony Davis, though Davis could play that long in LA but be way past his athletic prime.
