Los Angeles Lakers: Trading for the 39th pick could be a setup

The Los Angeles Lakers made a pretty minimal trade for the 39th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. However, that trade could be setting up something bigger.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers agreed to a pick swap on Wednesday. Los Angeles received the 39th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft while the 76ers received a 2019 second-round pick as well as cash considerations.

The 76ers’ second-round pick count is down from four to three and the Los Angeles Lakers acquired their third pick in the draft. Los Angeles is also selecting 25th and 47th. None of the three picks that the team owns is its own.

This trade may seem like nothing more than a sidenote that won’t even matter in the grand scheme of things.

However, this is the complete opposite as this trade could be serving as the table setter for something big in the 2018 NBA Draft. While this draft does not guarantee anything, it does at least add to the speculation.

The Lakers are in a situation to add established talent, not to keep drafting youth. Los Angeles has built a solid young core and has set up nicely to bring in stars alongside the young core. That is why the front office freed up $61 million in practical cap space, after all.

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Therefore, the chances of the Lakers using all three selections and actually finding a roster spot for all three players is slim. Quite frankly, the chances of the Lakers finding a roster spot for two rookies seems pretty slim.

And why would the Lakers trade away a future pick for a pick this year that the team had no intentions of doing anything with? This deal is obviously part of a larger scheme. It is hard to find any other legitimate reason why the Lakers would pull the trigger on this deal.

Quite simply, the Lakers are adding as much trade ammunition in possible to likely do one of two things.

First, and least likely, is the Lakers want to move up high in the lottery to select Luka Doncic. The team is reportedly high on Doncic, and if he is available with the fourth overall pick, LA could be enticed to move up. It is far-fetched but possible.

However, more likely, is the team is stocking up to trade for Kawhi Leonard. With Leonard wanting out of San Antonio, and Los Angeles being the preferred destination, the Lakers have obviously become the favorites. The speculation currently is that the Lakers would have to trade both Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma.

The team may be hesitant to add Kuzma to the deal with Julius Randle’s impending restricted free agent status. Thus, the Lakers may be looking to stack draft picks in a deal to include Josh Hart, not Kuzma.

Now, the Lakers have three picks in this year’s draft to use as well as their own selection in next year’s draft. For a team that is always smart with their draft picks like the Spurs, adding that extra pick this year may be extremely valuable.

All in all, the Lakers could offer the Spurs four or even five draft picks, alongside Ingram and Hart, for Leonard. That is a pretty good return for the Spurs, who are only sacrificing one year of Leonard by trading him.

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Regardless, this trade is seemingly signaling that something huge may be on the horizon for the Los Angeles Lakers.

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