The Los Angeles Lakers have kicked off their season with a solid 3-0 start. This early momentum may encourage the Lakers’ front office to pursue trades to boost their championship potentia
Colin Keane from The Sporting News recently suggested a trade idea. In his proposal, the Lakers would send Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood, and Jarred Vanderbilt to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, potentially including draft picks to strengthen the offe
The Pacers are thrilled to see Mathurin back in good health. Still, their performance without him last season might make them more open to a trade if they receive a strong offer,” Keane wrote on October 26. “The Lakers would likely be interested in Mathurin, given their need for another guard or wing score
A package of Lakers’ players like Hayes, Wood, and Vanderbilt could offer Indiana some much-needed depth in the frontcourt. If the Lakers added draft assets, the Pacers might consider the trade. Mathurin would fit seamlessly with the Lakers, offering bench scoring. He’s in the third year of a four-year, $30 million rookie contract
Challenges of Acquiring Mathur
Mathurin has shown great potential with the Pacers. In his rookie season, he averaged 16.7 points per game, followed by 14.5 points with 37.4% from three-point range in his second year. However, it’s unclear if Indiana would be willing to part with hi
The Lakers also have an interest in adding a center, so trading frontcourt players for a guard like Mathurin could be challenging. Jovan Buha from The Athletic recently noted the Lakers’ interest in Walker Kessler, who could strengthen their frontcourt next to Anthony Davi
Walker Kessler is a name that has caught the Lakers’ attention, and he could either start in a two-big lineup or come off the bench,” Buha said on October 25. “In specific matchups, he could even close alongside AD
Additional Lakers Trade Scenari
As the season progresses, the Lakers may face tough decisions regarding potential trades. According to Buha, if a trade happens, D’Angelo Russell might be the player they consider movin
I think this early in the season, it’s too soon to make definitive conclusions,” Buha said on October 23. “However, I believe they will continue exploring options for Russell
If the Lakers consider trading Russell, Mathurin could be a potential target, though he would play as a shooting guard rather than a point guard, adding valuable dept
Jon Conahan has covered the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com since 2019, with his work featured on platforms such as Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints, and Sportskeed.