Trader Danny Has Reportedly Set His Sights On The Lakers Coveted First Round Picks In What Could Be A Massive 3 Team Deal For Donovan Mitchell

Hmmmmm, I knew that Pat Bev trade seemed a little weird at the time. It almost felt as if Danny Ainge was doing the Lakers a favor by giving them a legit rotation player in Pat Bev for a player in THT who couldn't even crack the Lakers rotation last season despite the Lakers being terrible. That was weird to see given the whole Celts/Lakers history but now that he's running the Jazz I guess my brain just has to get used to him doing business with that franchise.

But now that we're hearing he actually has his sights set on those two picks, I think it makes a little more sense. We know Ainge wants nothing but picks right now, especially from a team that could be in the high lottery when those picks hit. He got a taste with the billion picks the Wolves gave him for Rudy Gobert and this has been Ainge ever since when talking to opposing teams for Donovan Mitchell

He wanted 6-7 picks from the Knicks and credit to them, they were smart and didn't cave (yet). We also know Ainge still has some veteran players (Bogdanovic, Conley, Clarkson, Malik Beasley etc) that ideally, he would unload before the season so the Jazz can completely dive head first into tanking. We also know that if Mitchell is going to end up in say, New York, that they are probably going to need a third team involved since they don't want to give up the billion picks that Ainge is asking for.

The market has also pretty much determined that if the Lakers are going to move Westbrook, those 2027 and 2029 picks are going to have to be attached. You think LeBron is going to let them hold onto those picks? No chance. Of course, once you get into 3 team (NYK/LAL/UTA) deals things get complicated, but there is a path to accounting for Westbrook's massive $47M salary

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You can find a combination that works among all those players. Maybe Bogdanovic/Fournier and some stuff. We know Ainge likes Fournier from his time in Boston, the point is in theory you could get there if you wanted to. Outside of maybe the Pacers (Turner/Hield) there doesn't look to be that many avenues for the Lakers to unload Westbrook, so a 3 team idea probably makes the most sense for everyone involved. The Knicks don't have to give up their 6-7 picks, they get their player in Mitchell, the Lakers get off Westbrook and are thankful for whatever they get back (potentially much needed shooting), and Ainge gets his 6 total picks with 2 of them coming from when the Lakers will most likely be dogshit. The Jazz will probably just waive Westbrook or something so they won't have to worry about that

and everyone walks away with what they want. It's a potential 3 team trade that somehow makes too much sense, which is probably why it won't happen. But I keep going back to the Pat Bev trade. It was kind of weird that Ainge didn't even get a 2nd round pick or anything back in that deal knowing how desperate the Lakers are. Why would that be? Maybe it's because he knows he's about to snag the 2027 and 2029 picks which are obviously more valuable.

From the Knicks side, if you don't have to give 6-7 picks and you get to potentially hold onto RJ Barrett as well, this should be the easiest decision ever for them. Even if it costs them young intriguing players like Obi Toppin and IQ. Donovan Mitchell is pretty freaking good

and he's signed long term. Letting the Lakers fill out the picks side of the deal while also getting off the contract of someone like Evan Fournier seems like a no brainer for a 25 year old All Star who actually wants to be a Knick.

Time is running out for everyone to figure this shit out with training camp quickly approaching, and given what we know this seems like the most logical outcome if Ainge truly is committed to moving Mitchell this summer.