3 Stunning Trades Lakers Can Make After Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns Deal

On Friday night, the NBA world received the shocking news that All-NBA big man Karl-Anthony Towns was traded to the New York Knicks. This blockbuster trade that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in return was very unexpected. Even though the Knicks were already a contender in the Eastern Conference, they decided to go for it and not miss the opportunity to get a star like Towns.

The Lakers need to learn a thing or two from that type of approach. GM Rob Pelinka has been hesitant to make a big swing and is now stuck with a team not good enough to win the title. The front office can't waste any more time and has to make a stunning trade before the season. Let's look at some of their options.

1. Trae Young to Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers desperately need more star power, especially on the offensive end. As things stand now, Trae Young is one of the more acquirable All-Stars in the league.

Young's shot creation, pick-and-roll ability, and shooting would be a huge help for the Lakers. His defensive deficiencies can be masked by Anthony Davis in the back line. Having Young as the offensive focal point in the regular season could help keep LeBron James fresh in the postseason.

One obstacle with this trade is the fact that the Atlanta Hawks don't have their own 2025 draft pick. They had traded that away to the Spurs in the Dejounte Murray trade. This means that they don't have an incentive to fully tank. Even though they are not going to be competitive this season and have already chosen to rebuild, they may want to do so around Young.