The Lakers are expected to win the No. 8 and No. 36 draft picks this year

According to reports from Vishvisha Kumar, a contributor to US sports media F/W. The Lakers have taken active action again to build around the East Zhan combination, with ESPN’s Max coming up with a potential draft day deal that could reshape their future. In a three-team trade, the Lakers will trade Knecht and a 2031 unprotected first-round pick to secure the 2025 No. 8 and No. 36 draft picks, a move designed to secure their future center: Maluah.

Brooklyn Nets receive: No. 11 draft pick (by the Trail Blazers), 2031 unprotected No. 1 pick (by the Lakers)

Los Angeles Lakers receive: No. 8 draft pick (by the Nets), No. 36 draft pick (by the Nets)

Portland Trail Blazers receive: Knecht, 2027 first-round pick (top 4 protected, through the Knicks)

According to Max, the deal depends on a key factor: whether Duke's Maluah is still available when the No. 8 draft pick appears. If he was, the Lakers would strike without hesitation, first giving up Kneckett and the distant future to solve their biggest center weakness.

Pellinka lost to Wolves in the first round of the team's playoffs and made it clear that increasing the size of the frontcourt is the top priority. With only $5.7 million in free agents with a middle class exception and the first luxury line to limit trades, the Lakers need to be creative. That's what the deal is. At 7-foot-1 and 253 pounds, Maluaher offers the ideal skill for today’s NBA. He is a mobile elite basket protector, able to defend pick-and-roll and free-connections, and is the perfect inside pillar for Doncic to organize offense.

As a freshman at Duke, Maruach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in limited playing time, but his advantage excited the scouts. The Lakers believe he can develop into a long-term starter that fits their schedule with Luca. With the No. 36 draft pick, the Lakers have a great opportunity to target reliable shooters, an area they are actively seeking to strengthen. While they have been expected to pursue a sharpshooter at the 55th position, it is no surprise to see them double down on the 36th position and get a high scorer earlier in the second round. The Nets received another first-round pick from 8th to 11th, down just three, but received a valuable 2031 unprotected first-round pick from the Lakers, which destined Los Angeles might not dominate as much in six years as they do. There are already three additional first-round picks in this draft (No. 19, 26 and 27) and the Nets are accumulating capital to provide them with 12 first-round picks over the next seven years. This gives them the flexibility to trade stars or completely rebuild in the future.

Trail Blazers get a young star

Trail Blazers effectively swap the No. 8 draft pick for Knecht and the Knicks’ protected No. 1 pick in 2027. This is similar to their deal last year, with the No. 14 signing for Avdia and a future draft pick. Knecht, the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2024, is a scorer with deep shooting range and excellent work ethics, a powerful link to their rebuilding core along with Henderson and Sharp.

The Lakers got a young center in this clever trade with Doncic entering his prime and James approaching the end of his career, they can't wait for a long-term solution for the center. Maluahh offers a combination of the strengths they need and the ability to fill their character, and trading Knector, while painful, is a sacrifice they are willing to make. It also shows that Los Angeles is not relying solely on free agents, their limited cap flexibility may limit choices. If this trade happens, the Lakers will pick one of the top defensive big men, another second-place pick on draft night, and maybe something else could happen.