Proposed Trade Gives Lakers a 3-Time All-Star to Form New Big 3 in LA

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a busy offseason and they have to pull out the right trade deal. A potential trade will give the Lakers a chance to build a Big 3. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook were supposed to accomplish this last season. It didn’t happen.

Kevin O’Connor from The Ringer bets on LeBron, AD, and Bradley Beal.

“The one name that I’ve heard recently is Bradley Beal as another guy that they want,” O’Connor detailed on the June 15, 2022 edition of “The Void” podcast. “I’m not sure if the interest is as mutual. You know Beal, it seems like Miami would be more of the threat to take him away from Washington. I don’t think you can also rule out Boston either because of his relationship with Jason Tatum, but the Lakers are trying to angle for some moves like that using the Russ expiring [contract] and the ’27 and the ’29 firsts [first-round draft picks].”

Challenging trade may not give the Lakers the desired Big 3

There’s a big obstacle on their way. Beal is a bit pricey and Rob Pelinka doesn’t have enough money to get him. Beal can get a five-year deal worth $242 million. The Wizards can give him the money. LA doesn’t have this money. Any other NBA team would give Beal $179 million.

Will Beal accept less money? He talked about this opportunity in his June 10 interview.

“Those are great problems, when I look at it like that, it’s like you can’t necessarily make a wrong decision,” Beal said. “It’s a matter of what you want to do with you [and] your career. And obviously, I consider my family right and what do they want to do. Where they want to live, what are they comfortable with and obviously the team, for me.

“So, it is surreal in a lot of ways, to be in the position I’m in. It is crazy numbers, it is what it is. Like it’s uncontrollable, it’s out of my control. i’m blessed to be here. So, again, I don’t shy away from that, I take it on with a full front, and I have to do what’s best for me. So, there’s some little anxiety, because I have to make the decision and time is counting down. We’re in June now, but it’s fun. It is fun to be in a position I’m in.”