The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the title contenders that are expected to be active on the trade market in the 2021 offseason. Regardless of the outcome of the 2020-21 NBA season, most people believe that the Lakers will try to improve the roster around Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
Though they don't have salary cap space to chase big names in free agency, the Lakers have interesting assets that they could use to acquire a quality player on the trade market this summer.
In a recent article, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report created a list of the best trades every NBA team can make in the offseason. For the Lakers, it's the hypothetical deal that would send Detroit Pistons small forward Jerami Grant to Los Angeles this summer. Grant is yet to become available on the trading block, but the Pistons may consider moving him if they are presented with an intriguing offer.
In the proposed trade scenario by Swartz, the Lakers would send a package that includes Kyle Kuzma, a 2021 first-round pick, a 2023 second-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick to the Pistons in exchange for Grant.
Giving up Kuzma and three future draft assets would definitely be worth it for the Lakers if it means acquiring a player of Grant's caliber. Grant's arrival in Los Angeles would help them improve their performance on both ends of the floor. He would give them a very reliable third scoring option behind James and Davis, as well as a great rebounder, defender, and floor-spacer.
This season, the 27-year-old small forward averaged 22.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks while shooting 42.9 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Grant would need time to familiarize himself with Coach Frank Vogel's system. However, with the years he spent with the likes of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic in Denver, he wouldn't have a hard time making himself fit alongside ball-dominant superstars like James and Davis in Los Angeles.
Compared to Kuzma, Grant is more capable of serving in the role as the Lakers' third superstar. If Grant, James, and Davis mesh well on the court, the Lakers could form their own "Big Three" that could give themselves a better chance of fully dominating the Western Conference and capturing the Larry O'Brien Trophy next year.
If the trade becomes a reality in the 2021 offseason, it wouldn't only be beneficial for the Lakers but also for the Pistons. By sending Grant to Los Angeles, the Pistons wouldn't only receive three future draft assets, but also a young and promising player that they could build around in Kuzma.
"Kuzma, a Flint, Michigan native, should thrive as the new starting power forward in Detroit," Swartz wrote. "He's averaged 18.5 points per 36 minutes for his career and is shooting 36.1 percent from three this year."
