NBA Trade Rumors: Blockbuster 4 team deals Luka Doncic's Lakers can make to add $97M big or 6-foot-11 shot-blocker explained

The LA Lakers have already made their highly anticipated big trade, the stunning acquisition of Luka Doncic, which shook the NBA. However, the Lakers are aware that's not enough. Multiple reports from insider Shams Charania, who broke the Doncic news, and Brian Windhorst, among others, have reiterated that LA is aggressively pursuing upgrades at other positions.

The Lakers have done an excellent job thus far, boasting a 28-19 record ahead of Tuesday's matchup against the LA Clippers. They are fifth in the Western Conference and outplayed their expectations entering the season. While adding Doncic was a seismic move, the Lakers lost their best player, Anthony Davis, and another key starter, Max Christie, in the deal.

The duo's departure, coupled with Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves' questionable defensive fit, could hurt the team in the short term, jeopardizing their shot at winning a title this year. That leaves the Lakers with glaring roster holes to address, primarily at the center position and on the perimeter, as they are missing a reliable point-of-attack defender.

According to The Ringer's Kirk Goldsberry and insider Brett Siegel, the Lakers are eyeing Nicolas Claxton as a potential replacement for Anthony Davis. Siegel added two more names to the list, including Walker Kessler and Myles Turner, two names consistently linked with LA over the past couple of months.

With the LA Lakers now locking down their future with Luka Doncic, Rob Pelinka's front office isn't hesitant to exhaust its draft capital. Trading Anthony Davis also indicated that nobody on the team is untouchable, barring LeBron James, who has a no-trade clause, and, of course, Luka Doncic.

The Lakers have the lucrative 2031 first-round pick with contracts to match salary, making most trades realistic for them ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline. They can add either of the three bigs mentioned above and reinforce the team with perimeter defense by using additional contracts.

Here's how the LA Lakers can make these blockbuster three and four-team trades.

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NBA Trade Rumors: LA Lakers pathway to acquiring Nic Claxton, Myles Turner, along with perimeter help

NBA: Brooklyn Nets at Indiana Pacers - Source: Imagn

#1 Lakers land Nic Claxton, Day'Ron Sharpe and Davion Mitchell

The Lakers proved any trade is possible when they acquired Luka Doncic and parted ways with only one pick. As the trade deadline nears, that package may have dictated how things will play out in the market. The Lakers retaining the 2031 pick becomes critical to their strategy of surrounding Doncic and James with the best talent.

One way to use their available trade assets, including the 2031 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick, would be to dangle those in a trade that helps them land Nicolas Claxton, Day'Ron Sharpe and Davion Mitchell.

Claxton and Sharper would solve their center rotation issues. Mitchell would give them the point-of-attack defender they desperately covet. Claxton, who is on a four-year $97,000,000 contract, is making $27.5 million, making it a complex trade for LA. However, the Lakers can involve four teams to complete this blockbuster move.

Here's how:

Trade framework created by the author via Fanspo.com

The Lakers must move the 2031 first-round pick to the Nets as the major incentive, along with Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent's combined $28,000,000 salaries. After throwing that pick in, LA can also pursue Day'Ron Sharpe. At the point, looking at Claxton's salary and asking price of one first-round pick, not many teams would make a run at the veteran big.

LA's 2031 pick is probably the best the Nets can receive in return, along with two enticing assets like Hachimura and Vincent, who enter the final year of their deals next season and can traded in the offseason.

The Lakers acquire not one, but two mobile bigs with this splash, who fulfill roles as LeBron James and Luka Doncic's pick and roll partners, who can be highly impactful defensively.

The Lakers can address their need for a point-of-attack defender by involving the Raptors and Pistons, making it a four-team deal. With the Lakers shipping their only tradeable first-round pick, they can entice the Raptors by including Dalton Knecht in a trade with Jaxson Hayes for Davion Mitchell, one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA.

Mitchell would be a solid fit next to Doncic in the backcourt and Reaves as a high-motor defensive stalwart. He's also shooting a respectable 35.7% from 3 (50.0% over his last nine games).

To accommodate Claxton, Sharpe and Mitchell's salaries, the Lakers must dump Christian Wood and Cam Reddish's expiring deals worth $5.4 million in the Pistons' cap room. LA can attract Detroit by offering its 2025 second-round pick in return.

#2 Myles Turner, Duop Reath and Davion Mitchell to Lakers

Myles Turner is an even better fit than Nic Claxton for the LA Lakers. However, there are significant questions about the Pacers' motivation to trade him. The asking price will be steep for the Lakers to pry him away from Indiana. The Lakers remain favorites to acquire Turner, though.

According to insider Brett Siegel's Jan. 28 report, the Lakers prioritized Turner over Raptors' Jakob Poeltl, Wizards' Jonas Valanciunas and Bulls' Nikola Vucevic. They contemplated using draft compensation, as it was a few days before they acquired Luka Doncic.

Moreover, the Lakers also held back citing issues regarding Turner's motivation to re-sign with the franchise in free agency. Another problem was Indiana wanting a starting caliber center in return, which LA doesn't boast. However, a four-team deal can help the Lakers make this possible.

Here's how:

Trade framework created by the author via Fanspo.com

The Lakers must engage the Trail Blazers to complete the deal with Indiana. The Trail Blazers can provide a bit of both for the Lakers and Pacers by trading Robert Williams III to Indiana and Duop Reath to LA.

The Lakers get a dependable center rotation while the Pacers land a starting caliber-big on a two-year deal. Indiana will also get the Lakers' 2031 pick as part of the trade for Turner. Another major incentive for the Pacers is cutting salary by a $7.4 million margin and not losing Turner for free in the offseason.

Meanwhile, the Lakers would have to move Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes' combined $19.4 million salaries. The Trail Blazers have the flexibility to absorb their contracts. Indiana would send them a second-round pick in exchange for Williams.

The Lakers would still need a perimeter defender, so adding the Raptors would be ideal because of Davion Mitchell. His $6.4 million salary makes him an apt target. The incentive remains the same as proposed in the earlier deal, with a direct swap for Dalton Knecht with Gabe Vincent. The Lakers would have to move Vincent's $11 million salary to make space for their incoming players.