Everything’s Bigger in LA Now (Including Luka’s Teammates) — UTA/LAL/ORL

[bkohler]

Utah Jazz receive:
Rui Hachimura, Cole Anthony, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Shake Milton, the No. 16 pick in the 2025 draft (via ORL), a 2026 FRP swap (from LAL), a 2028 FRP swap (from LAL), a 2030 FRP swap (from LAL), a 2031 FRP (from LAL), and a 2031 FRP (from ORL).

Utah Jazz trade:
Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Johnny Juzang, and Collin Sexton.

Why:
UTA pulls a Nico and bets on Luka aging like milk. Takes back a pile of expiring contracts (most likely waived) and clears the runway for another tanktastic season. Adds 6 picks/swaps to the war chest and keeps their books clean.

Los Angeles Lakers receive:
Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Johnny Juzang.

Los Angeles Lakers trade:
Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Shake Milton, a 2026 FRP swap (to UTA), a 2028 FRP swap (to UTA), a 2030 FRP swap (to UTA), a 2031 FRP (to UTA), and they remove protections on the 2027 FRP already owed to Utah.

Why:
Size and shooting. This is basically Reaves for Markkanen and the 2031 pick/swaps for Kessler — with a little extra juice. Luka/KCP/LeBron/Lauri/Kessler + DFS/Knecht/Juzang is massive, switchable, and dangerous. One last real push with LeBron, and Luka has a core to compete after.

Orlando Magic receive:
Collin Sexton and Austin Reaves.

Orlando Magic trade:
Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the No. 16 pick in the 2025 draft (to UTA), and a 2031 FRP (to UTA).

Why:
They needed more shot creation and on-ball juice in the backcourt, so why not double up? It’s basically #16 for Reaves and a future FRP for Sexton. Feels like strong value for a team ready to move past the “nice story” phase.

[nate33]

I'm not so sure swapping Rui for Markkanen is all that big of an upgrade. Yeah, Markkanen is obviously better offensively, but the Lakers mostly only need a 3&D guy in that spot. Rui's slightly better defense is a more critical need than Markkanen's much better offense.

Pick swaps for Kessler make sense.

[SkyHook]

None of the players they receive are a building block for the future, just filler. I'm notoriously down on swaps as primary value in trades (only about 30% have ANY value and most of those only marginally), but these are particularly poor (especially post trade). HOPING that Luka sucks/leaves is a poor strategy. The 2031 LAL FRP + wasn't enticing enough to land Kessler this past season and likely won't be again. Sexton is worth the 2025 FRP or removing the protections on the 2027. Two unprotected 2031 FRPs are the potential prize--giving them four in that draft--but that's light from a FAR off tunnel.

[bkohler]

I'm not so sure swapping Rui for Markkanen is all that big of an upgrade. Yeah, Markkanen is obviously better offensively, but the Lakers mostly only need a 3&D guy in that spot. Rui's slightly better defense is a more critical need than Markkanen's much better offense.

Pick swaps for Kessler make sense.

I see where you're coming from but personally think there's a very large difference between Rui and Lauri. Not only is Markkanen 5 inches taller, rebounds better and right now both shoot about the same percentage but Lauri has done that as a #1 option and take more than twice as many as Rui. He'd feast off the open catch and shoot 3s and most importantly is per synergy one of the more efficient players without the ball in his hands ever. With a team that has both Luka and Lebron, that seems important.

All that said, the trade would still work if you removed Rui and just sent KCP to the Jazz.

[bkohler]

None of the players they receive are a building block for the future, just filler. I'm notoriously down on swaps as primary value in trades (only about 30% have ANY value and most of those only marginally), but these are particularly poor (especially post trade). HOPING that Luka sucks/leaves is a poor strategy. The 2031 LAL FRP + wasn't enticing enough to land Kessler this past season and likely won't be again. Sexton is worth the 2025 FRP or removing the protections on the 2027. Two unprotected 2031 FRPs are the potential prize--giving them four in that draft--but that's light from a FAR off tunnel.

If something else comes up for Lauri that's significantly better, then I can completely understand going in that direction. This isn't an awesome trade for the Jazz, but I think we've also seen that some of the Vets the Jazz have are less valuable than we as fans would have assumed. This clears books really well for 2026, doesn't make the Jazz significantly better, gives them another like just outside the lottery for this draft answers the question about what to do with Kesslers extension all while bringing back 3 FRP, 3 Swaps and the protections removed around the 27th pick. It's effectively turning the Mitchell trade into all of this, which is a huge win in a vacuum. Also I think Rui/Vando might have some value on the market during the offseason as well, it's just way more complicated to make it a 4 team trade to try and suck up that value in a single trade.

[Texas Chuck]

So I'm way lower on the Utah players values than most. Not sure Kessler is super valuable on his next deal and that's a year away and same with Lauri already on his.

So this much upside variance? Yeah please give it to me.

But I don't think Lauri in for Rui/Reaves is actually an upgrade and I wouldn't pay near this for Kessler.

Im out for LA and don't think Orlando needs both Reaves and Sexton.

[SkyHook]

None of the players they receive are a building block for the future, just filler. I'm notoriously down on swaps as primary value in trades (only about 30% have ANY value and most of those only marginally), but these are particularly poor (especially post trade). HOPING that Luka sucks/leaves is a poor strategy. The 2031 LAL FRP + wasn't enticing enough to land Kessler this past season and likely won't be again. Sexton is worth the 2025 FRP or removing the protections on the 2027. Two unprotected 2031 FRPs are the potential prize--giving them four in that draft--but that's light from a FAR off tunnel.

If something else comes up for Lauri that's significantly better, then I can completely understand going in that direction. This isn't an awesome trade for the Jazz, but I think we've also seen that some of the Vets the Jazz have are less valuable than we as fans would have assumed. This clears books really well for 2026, doesn't make the Jazz significantly better, gives them another like just outside the lottery for this draft answers the question about what to do with Kesslers extension all while bringing back 3 FRP, 3 Swaps and the protections removed around the 27th pick. It's effectively turning the Mitchell trade into all of this, which is a huge win in a vacuum. Also I think Rui/Vando might have some value on the market during the offseason as well, it's just way more complicated to make it a 4 team trade to try and suck up that value in a single trade.

I agree that the market values the Jazz vets less, not sure I see the Jazz moving them for less. Those disparities in valuation result in the most common end to trade discussions--an impasse.

[gswhoops]

Yeah I think it's fair to question based on last year if Lauri is still worth much.

Also, a minor nit but Reaves isn't included in LA's outgoing

[orlando_joe]

i do not see magic giving a pick that far out for 2 expiring contracts ..no long term pg...and 2 guys that are that bad at defense
if giving this up would have to be 1 player that better fills a need a long term pg

edit
also sexton closer to denver first or a couple 2nds then a pick 6 yrs out in future

[bkohler]

Yeah I think it's fair to question based on last year if Lauri is still worth much.

Also, a minor nit but Reaves isn't included in LA's outgoing

Good catch! My bad, I fixed it via an edit!

[bkohler]

Welp, seems like it’s a no from all three. Guess it’s back to the drawing board. Personally I don’t think you’d do better than Reaves in ORL and Lauri/Kessler in LA. But maybe!

[babyjax13]

I don't like this at all. It is the 16th pick and firsts in 6 years for the two best players we have on the roster and the only player who, IMO, has a very clear path to being a long term piece on Kessler. I do not think this is a high variance play, and I think we can get better and/or more immediate assets.