Potential 4-team trading plan: James and son return to the Cavaliers, All-Star guard + 3-point shooting to the Lakers

In this year's NBA offseason, although the Lakers were not as vigorous and aggressive as the Rockets and Clippers in signings, each signing was very targeted. Ayton made up for the shortcomings of the Lakers' inside line, Smart's defensive attributes filled the vacancy brought by Fanny Smith's departure, and Laravia had 3-point ability, which brought room to the Lakers' offensive system. It is worth mentioning that Doncic finally came out of the big deal. Ayton and Smart were both recruited by Doncic himself. Obviously, he has regarded himself as the star in Los Angeles. However, for the Lakers, James' team status and appeal in the new season will be embarrassing. Because of the implementation of the player option, the Lakers lost the opportunity to strengthen through James' salary cut, which also made the relationship between the two sides less harmonious. Some media pointed out that James will leave Los Angeles after the final season of the Lakers. The US media's open-air stand wrote an article saying that the Lakers do not rule out the possibility of negotiating a deal with James, and at the same time they proposed a potential crazy four-party deal!

骑士在这笔交易中获得勒布朗、布朗尼、以及一个来自黄蜂的2027年首轮选秀权。 For Cleveland, James' name was always tied to the city's basketball fate. In 2016, he led the team to reverse the Warriors in a desperate situation of 1-3 behind, bringing Cleveland the first NBA championship in team history, completing the "Redification Journey". Now, if 40-year-old LeBron returns to the Cavaliers with 21-year-old Brownie, this is not only a reinforcement at the basketball level, but also an emotional return that transcends the era.

From a basketball perspective, the Cavaliers will instantly form the three most threatening giants in the league: LeBron + Mitchell + Mobri. Last season, the 39-year-old LeBron still handed over comprehensive data of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.2 assists. His field vision, key ball ability and playoff experience are wealth that no young star can replace. Mitchell averaged 24.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in the just-concluded season. His explosive scoring power was fully demonstrated, and his stable performance on the offensive end shared the offensive pressure for LeBron. Mobley became the inside pillar with 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. His defensive coverage and support ability are just right for the system led by LeBron.

More importantly, the technical characteristics of these three people form a perfect complement: LeBron controls the rhythm, Mitchell tears the defense line, and Mobri guards the penalty area. Against the background of weak overall competitiveness in the East, such a combination is enough to challenge strong teams such as the Celtics and the Bucks. Although the Cavaliers entered the playoffs last season, Mitchell lacked helpers, and the Cavaliers also stopped in the first round due to the lack of another real "big scene player", and LeBron's arrival will completely solve this shortcoming - his experience of reaching the finals 10 times in his career is exactly the "champion DNA" that the Cavaliers need most. Brownie's addition of the deal added more commercial value. The gimmick of "James and sons are in the same team" will be the guarantee of the Cavaliers' box office.

Lakers won Garland and Struce, a 2031 second-round draft pick from the Nets in this deal. When the Lakers decided to start a new era around Doncic, it became inevitable to get rid of LeBron's contract and system constraints. The joining of Garland and Struz is a key step in the Lakers' transformation to the "Luca system". Garland's value lies in his perfect adaptation to Doncic. Last season, the 25-year-old All-Star guard averaged 20.6 points and 6.7 assists per game, shooting 47.6% from the field and 38.1% from three-point shooting percentage. His characteristics are distinctive: elite ball control ability (only 2.1 turnovers per game), accurate outside shooting (2.9 three-pointers per game), and the versatility of being able to end on his own and revitalize his teammates in the pick-and-roll. These traits complement Doncic - Doncic is good at holding the ball and attacking at low posts, while Garland can provide space when off the ball and share pressure when holding the ball.

More importantly, Garland's age (25 years old) and contract (annual salary of $35 million in 2025-26) make him the core of the Lakers' long-term plan. Compared to LeBron, Garland can form a longer-lasting "dual-core" with Doncic (25 years old), and his athleticism and vitality can also bring a more ornamental fast-paced play to the Lakers. The data won't lie: Garland averaged 17.4 points, 8.1 assists per game against the Lakers in his career, and shot 51% from the field. He can find more presence in the Lakers system.

Struz's addition is an accurate strengthening of the Lakers' wings. Last season, the 28-year-old wing averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, with a three-point shooting percentage of 38.6%. He is not a star, but he is the "puzzle player" that the championship team needs most: he can defend multiple positions (from No. 1 to No. 3), does not take the ball rights, and dares to take action at critical moments. The playoff experience between the Heat and the Cavaliers proved that Struz was able to maintain stability in high-intensity games - this is the trait that the Lakers often lacked in the playoffs.

Of course, giving up LeBron means huge business losses and emotional impacts for fans, but from a competitive perspective, this is the Lakers' "necessary choice": Doncic needs to build a team around his own system, and LeBron's playing style and age are contrary to this goal. The combination of Garland + Struz may not be able to return the Lakers to the top immediately, but it has laid a solid foundation for the "Luca Era" - this is a rational gamble that looks at the future.

Charlotte Hornets got Jarrett Allen from the trade, and he joined to support the inside sky for Lamelo. The Hornets have been looking for an inside partner who can match Lamelo Ball, and Jarrett Allen's arrival may be the answer they have been waiting for for a long time. Last season, Allen averaged 13.5 points and 9.7 rebounds per game with a shooting percentage of 70.6%, becoming one of the most efficient inside players in the league.. His value lies not in his gorgeous data, but in his ultimate functionality: as a pick-and-roll terminator, he can use his speed and explosiveness to complete all-match (2.3 all-match dunks per game); as the core of the defensive, his franchise protection efficiency (the opponent's shooting percentage drops by 7.2% at the basket) and rebound control (3.8 frontcourt rebounds per game) can build a no-fly zone for the Hornets.

For Lamelo, Allen's presence will completely release his passing talent. LaMelo averaged 8.1 assists per game last season and was good at finding teammates in fast breaks and pick-and-rolls, but the Hornets lacked an inside line that could end stably - Miles Bridges and PJ Washington were both better at shooting from the outside. Allen's pick-and-roll threat can transform Lamero's "no-look pass" and "behind pass" into more assists. The cooperation between the two may be able to replicate the classic pick-and-roll combination of "Paul + Jordan Jr.".

playoff performance better reflects Allen's value. In the Cavaliers' playoffs last season, he averaged 13.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and shot 70.6% from the field, and was able to maintain efficiency under high-intensity confrontation. The Hornets have repeatedly missed the playoffs due to insufficient defensive and inside finishing ability in the past few seasons, and Allen's arrival will solve these two problems at the same time - his defense can improve the Hornets' overall defensive efficiency (22nd in the Hornets' defensive efficiency last season), and his finish can improve the team's offensive efficiency (18th in the Hornets' offensive efficiency league).

In the long run, 25-year-old Allen and 22-year-old Lamelo will form the core framework for the Hornets in the next five years. Allen's contract (annual salary of $24 million in 2025-26) is extremely cost-effective and will not affect the Hornets' salary flexibility. His maturity and stability (90% career attendance) can also bring rare locker room leadership to the young Hornets. The Hornets' deal seemed "inconspicuous", but it accurately hit the team's most deadly shortcomings. There is no gorgeous star effect, but Allen's arrival may have allowed the Hornets to jump from a "lottery regular" to an Eastern Conference playoff-level team - this is exactly what a team needs most during the reconstruction period "pragmatic reinforcement".

The Brooklyn Nets won Grant Williams and Dean Wade in the trade. The Nets seem to have gained the least in this deal - they exchanged a 2031 second round pick for Grant Williams and Dean Wade, but after careful consideration, this just reflects the Nets' reconstruction wisdom. Grant Williams is a typical "Hyundai No. 4": his career three-point shooting percentage is 37.7%, he can defend multiple positions, and has both hardness and toughness. Last season in the Mavericks, he averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, which seemed to be mediocre, but in the playoffs, his defensive performance against stars such as Durant and James was impressive. For the Nets, Williams' arrival can fill the defensive loopholes after Johnson left the team and provide space for the team.

Dean Wade is another practical player. The 28-year-old wing three-point shooting percentage is 36.8%, able to play at the 3-4 position, and 80% of his career shots come from outside the three-point line, making him a perfect "space point". His contract is only $2.3 million in annual salary, which is extremely cost-effective and can play the role of "functional shooter" in the Nets' rotation.

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