The playoffs exposed the Los Angeles Lakers' dire need for a center. The past two seasons revealed the Portland Trail Blazers' lack of shooting -- a weakness that, if left unaddressed, will jeopardize their playoff hopes before the season even begins.
Sports Illustrated's Jackson Caudel recently proposed a multi-team trade that resolves both glaring issues. Here is what the deal looks like:
Hawks Receive: Robert Williams III
Lakers Receive: Deandre Ayton and Matisse Thybulle
Trail Blazers Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, 2027 2nd round pick (From ATL via CLE), 2029 2nd round pick (From ATL via CLE), and an unprotected 2031 1st round pick (via LAL)
The Blazers get a haul without sacrificing their core
The Hawks land Robert Williams III for two (likely late) second-round picks. That's a reasonable price to pay after factoring in his two-way impact and injury-proneness. Williams would be a good insurance policy for Atlanta, with Clint Capela set to hit free agency.
Los Angeles has an even larger center void to fill, and Deandre Ayton would provide them with an average starting center in the league. He's not the ideal center pairing with Luka Doncic, who prefers more of a lob threat like he had at his disposal in Dallas. But it would be a significant upgrade from what they have now, which is essentially nothing, given that Jaxson Hayes was virtually unplayable in their series loss to Minnesota.
The addition of Matisse Thybulle can't be overlooked, either, as he returned to be a true X-Factor for Portland in his 15 games played this season.
The Lakers would be legitimate contenders with these two pieces, but the issue is that it would be a very limited window. Father Time is finally catching up to 40-year-old LeBron James, while Ayton and Thybulle are on expiring deals.
This sets them up for success in 2025-26, but the Lakers have a new timeline after magically landing Doncic at the deadline. This deal isn't worth sacrificing the future, especially when it costs a valuable unprotected first-rounder in 2031, with no guarantee Doncic will even be wearing purple and gold by then.
The Blazers are the primary beneficiaries of this deal. They flip three veterans who likely aren't part of their long-term plans -- and should be considered relatively minimal assets -- for more valuable pieces that better fit their timeline.
Dalton Knecht's rookie season was underwhelming, but he's still a knockdown shooter. He would be an ideal bench piece and a worthy flier in case the Lakers have yet to unlock the player we saw at Tennessee.
Gabe Vincent has been overrated ever since Miami's system brought out the best in him, but he could at least be a serviceable depth piece and an upgrade over Dalano Banton should they let him walk. Vanderbilt also addresses the Blazers' need for another forward, which fits well with their defensive-minded identity.
The Blazers still preserve their cap flexibility by swapping three expiring contracts for Vincent and Maxi Kleber -- the least essential pieces in the deal and players they could still let walk. Vanderbilt is on a reasonable contract at $37 million over the next three years, while Knecht remains cost-controlled on a rookie deal.
Even without the Lakers' first-rounder, this deal would be worth considering for the Blazers. With it, it's a no-brainer.