How the Lakers and Jazz could work on a Mitchell trade

In case you haven’t heard by now, the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz have been working all summer on a trade that would send superstar guard Donovan Mitchell to the Knicks for a massive haul of draft picks. There have been concerns surrounding the trade from both sides, as the Knicks seem hesitant to part with the six picks required by the Jazz.

The Lakers have shown interest in getting on board with a possible trade, although it seems unlikely that they are in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes. They could be added in order for Utah to reach their lofty draft goals if Utah agrees to take on some poor contracts.

Utah Jazz: Could the Lakers be involved in a second trade?

The Jazz and Lakers already struck a deal this month, sending Patrick Beverly to Los Angeles for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson. Russell Westbrook was the clear loser of that trade, as the Lakers seem to have found a new starting point guard who would allow LeBron James and Anthony Davis to keep the ball in their hands.

The Lakers could be motivated to attach a pick to Westbrook if a team wanted to take him on, and the Knicks still want Mitchell. The Jazz just want as many picks as possible, so I’ve devised this three-team trade.

It’s quite straightforward. The Jazz get two promising young players from the Knicks and take on the dreadful Fournier and Westbrook contracts. The Jazz get their star and a role player, and the Lakers get some extra wing depth and shooting. The Jazz win the trade, adding six first-round picks. Yes, they have to get rid of Rudy Gay and Bojan Bogdanovic, but Gay isn’t really a contributor anymore, and Bojan makes salary sense also, getting rid of him helps the Jazz tank.

With a loaded draft class inbound, adding as many picks as possible would help a lot. Plus, Westbrook is off the books next season anyway, so Utah gains two picks from the Lakers, loses some extra games, and still have some money to spend next summer.