Lakers may land undervalued $78 million Raptors center via ‘aggressive’ 3-team trade

It’s no secret Anthony Davis needs help in the low post this season. 

By landing an undervalued Toronto Raptors center in a massive three-team trade, the Los Angeles Lakers could successfully strengthen their frontcourt. 

“The Los Angeles Lakers still have issues after the late-December trade with the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton,” Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus wrote Tuesday.

“The team is inconsistent defensively (especially in the backcourt) and still doesn’t have a hefty backup center (outside of recently signed two-way Trey Jemison III.”

“The initial plan was to map out three trades (aggressive, moderate, and conservative) for the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Nets deal reduced L.A.’s stock of second-round picks to just two in 2025.”

“Unless a team covets a pair of picks in the 50ish range—usually resulting in players on two-way contracts—the Lakers will be on the outside of more minor, conservative deals for players like Nick Richards (recently sent from the Charlotte Hornets to the Phoenix Suns).”

“With small contracts to offer, such as those of Jalen Hood-Schifino and Christian Wood, players with no current on-court value, Los Angeles may need to part with a starter like Rui Hachimura to improve (paired with at least one of its remaining future first-round picks).”

“The following is a three-team solution that changes the Lakers’ identity to a defensive-minded group, heavily reliant on the offensive generation of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves.”

In Pincus’ ‘aggressive’ three-team trade proposal, the Lakers would receive Jakob Poeltl, Davion Mitchell, and Dalano Banton, the Raptors would receive Deandre Ayton, Duop Reath, Jabari Walker, Hachimura, Cam Reddish, Hood Schifino, and two future draft picks, and the Portland Trail Blazers would receive Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, Garrett Temple, Wood, and three future draft picks. 

Poeltl is enjoying a career year with the Raptors, averaging 14.8 points and 10.6 rebounds per contest in 31.8 minutes. 

However, because Toronto hasn’t been competitive through 43 games, Poeltl has struggled to garner attention from the media this season. 

As a 7-foot center who lacks vertical explosion, Poeltl excels as a crafty low post threat who outwits his opponents. 

Although frontcourt trade targets like Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams III may appeal to the Lakers from an athletic standpoint, Los Angeles could use a polished big man playing the best basketball of his career. 

The Utah product shouldn’t be ruled out as a potential in-season acquisition for the Lakers. 

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