LeBron James and Anthony Davis looking on.LeBron James and Anthony Davis (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
A fascinating blockbuster trade proposal has the Los Angeles Lakers adding another All-Star to complete the “big three” with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The Los Angeles Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of the postseason, one year after losing to Nikola Jokic and company in the Western Conference Finals. Clearly, a third star is needed if the Purple and Gold are to make more noise in a tough conference.

Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale and Grant Hughes proposed one “ambitious” trade target for all 30 teams this offseason. On the Lakers entry, Favale proposed the idea of acquiring Cleveland Cavaliers superstar guard Donovan Mitchell:

“Three-star models are less tenable this side of the second-apron tax, but the Lakers are a special case study. LeBron James is going into his age-40 season. They won’t be tasked with floating a trio of superstar salaries for much longer.

Other teams can (and will) dangle stronger packages for Mitchell. But he will have a hefty say in where he goes one year out from free agency. And for their part, the Lakers are armed with real stuff to offer—mainly some combination of three firsts, two swaps, five seconds, Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.”

James is widely expected to opt out of his contract this summer, though there aren’t any major indicators that he’s legitimately interested in leaving the Los Angeles Lakers for another team.

Donovan Mitchell is eligible to sign a four-year contract extension with the Cavaliers worth $208.5 million. “Spida” averaged 26.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, helping Cleveland reach the postseason for the second straight year.

The Cavs lost to the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in five games in the second round, though Mitchell missed the final two games of the series with a calf injury. If he ends up hitting the trade block, don’t be surprised if the Los Angeles Lakers push to make a deal for the veteran All-Star.

Donovan Mitchell Would Make Los Angeles Lakers The Favorites In 2025

LeBron and Davis remain one of the league’s elite superstar duos, but it’s evident that the roster depth is thin beyond those two. If they could somehow swing a trade for another All-Star like Mitchell, however, LA would emerge as the 2025 NBA championship favorites.

As great as they are, it’s not ideal for the Lakers to be reliant on a soon-to-be 40-year-old and an injury-prone Davis to carry the offense. So the front office should be highly motivated to make a blockbuster move this offseason, and a player like Mitchell could be the final piece needed to get them over the top.