There have been all sorts of trade rumors floating around involving Los Angeles Lakers recently. While it looks like they want to trade for at least one complementary player that will address one of their weaknesses, some fans would rather see them trade for a legitimate star and once again try to put together a super team.
Superteams haven’t really been successful in L.A. When the team traded for Russell Westbrook in 2021, it blew up in their faces, and their acquisitions of Steve Nash, Karl Malone and Gary Payton in recent years didn’t produce an NBA championship either.
Still, Lakers legend and former president of basketball operations Magic Johnson wants his former team to go after an aging veteran star this trade season. During an appearance on Fox Sports 1’s “Speak,” he said he likes the idea of getting six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat.
Via Fox Sports:
“I like Jimmy,” Johnson said. “He’s mean and physical.”
For years, Butler has been one of basketball’s deadliest clutch performers, not to mention a fierce leader. The Heat, who reached the NBA Finals twice in four years with him, have maximized their potential with him and their current core, and that has led to many rumors that they will soon trade him.
However, Butler is 35 years old, and he will make a total of $48.8 million this season. That means he would be a very expensive target for a Lakers team that has limited trade assets, and that would be getting a player who is very close or now on the downside of his career.
Johnson doesn’t care about that. He said the fact that LeBron James’ retirement is around the corner means the franchise needs to do what it can to win another world title right now.
“You almost have to say: Do you want to win now or do you want to save all the draft capital for later? And I say, with LeBron, you have to put out the best team.”
The Lakers have two future first-round draft picks they could trade, as well as the expiring contract of guard D’Angelo Russell. Starting guard Austin Reaves is a player who is somewhat attractive on the trade market, but they are very reluctant to include him in any trade proposals.
This article was originally published on LeBron Wire: One-star Magic Johnson wants the Lakers to trade
