Lakers Rumors: Donovan Mitchell Trade Preferred over Trae Young If LA Eyes Big 3

The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly prioritizing Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell over Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young if they decide to build a new Big Three, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.

In the latest episode of his “Buha’s Block” podcast, Buha mentioned that Mitchell “would be the preferred guy” in a major trade, contrasting this with previous reports linking Young and his Hawks teammate Dejounte Murray to the Lakers. 

The future of Mitchell with the Cavaliers should become clearer soon. The five-time All-Star is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, and the Cavs might need to trade him if he indicates he plans to opt out in 2025 and doesn’t intend to re-sign. Cleveland cannot afford to lose him for nothing, especially considering the significant assets they gave up to acquire him.

Despite the trade speculation, Mitchell could remain with the Cavs and sign a substantial extension. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski shared on NBA Countdown that Mitchell expressed his happiness in Cleveland and said he has “been happy since I arrived in Cleveland.”

If the Lakers have to explore other options, it will be interesting to see if they pursue Young and whether they target a different guard from the Cavs.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Joe Vardon, and Jason Lloyd, if Mitchell signs a new contract, Darius Garland’s representatives might request a trade. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that many teams rank Garland higher than Young on their wish lists. Garland’s annual salary is slightly lower than Young’s, he’s a year younger, and Fischer noted Garland has demonstrated greater flexibility, having successfully shared a backcourt with Mitchell.

This isn’t the first indication that Young’s stock might be declining. In April, NBA insider Marc Stein reported a growing belief that the Hawks might prefer to trade Young over Murray. Fischer echoed this sentiment earlier this month.

It would be significant if the Lakers and other teams aggressively target Garland over Young, despite Young’s superior stats and individual accolades.