Lakers Trade Pitch Lands Brook Lopez, Clippers Wing Amid Kawhi Leonard Drama

The LA Clippers are in disarray after the NBA stripped them of five future first-round picks for circumventing the salary cap to benefit Kawhi Leonard. With the Clippers pivoting toward a rebuild under Keaton Wagler, the Lakers have a prime opportunity to poach displaced veterans from their cross-town rival.

One intriguing Lakers trade idea doing the rounds would let the franchise reunite with Brook Lopez, their starting center during the 2017-18 season, and add Derrick Jones Jr., who played alongside Luka Doncic during the 2024 NBA Finals.

Lakers would receive: Brook Lopez, Derrick Jones Jr.

Clippers would receive: Jaden Hardy, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht

Both Lopez and Jones are defensive-minded players, which bodes well for the new-look Lakers roster that leans heavily toward offense.

Relying solely on Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney to anchor the Lakers' center rotation next season is a massive gamble. Last year, the duo combined for just 26 appearances: Kessler lost nearly his entire season to shoulder surgery in Utah, while Looney battled injuries and fell out of James Borrego's interim rotation. Banking on two injury-prone bigs is a dangerous proposition in a Western Conference featuring Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic.

Brook Lopez has been very healthy even this late into his career, having played 75, 80, 79 and 78 games in his last four seasons with the Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks . The 38-year-old is still an elite rim protector who can step away from the hoop and make threes, giving JJ Redick a reliable backup center and a proper stretch-5 to call upon. In fact, Lopez also has the versatility of playing next to Kessler in certain lineups.

As for Jones, the proof is in the pudding. The athletic wing started all 22 games during the Mavericks ' run to the 2024 NBA Finals, averaging 9.1 points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting a reliable 37% from three. He also played excellent defense in those playoffs. His proven chemistry with Luka Doncic makes him an attractive piece to the Lakers.

The best part? Both Lopez ($9.1M) and Jones ($10.4M) are on expiring contracts, making it a very risk-free Lakers trade proposition.

Lopez and Jones are veterans who deserve to play on playoff teams at this stage of their careers. The Clippers, after trading Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors , are projected to finish in the bottom half of the West next season.

Taking a chance on a young prospect like Dalton Knecht makes complete sense for the Clippers, as it aligns with the timeline of their core centered around Keaton Wagler. Meanwhile, veterans like Hady and Jake LaRavia are on expiring deals, giving Los Angeles the flexibility to simply let them walk or cut ties in a year.

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