The Los Angeles Lakers are down 0-2 to the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs and their season could be ending soon. If they fall to the Nuggets for the second year in a row, it’s likely there could be some significant changes.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young has often been linked to the Lakers and could be a strong trade target for the team this offseason. However, not everybody thinks it’s a good idea. Fox Sports’ Skip Bayless doesn’t believe Young is a fit in Los Angeles at all.
“What was the biggest mistake LeBron [James] ever made?” Bayless said during the April 18 episode of “UNDISPUTED.” “It was Russell Westbrook. And there’s a lot of Russell Westbrook operating in Trae Young. By the way, Trae – he’s a good guy. He’s a nice guy. He’s fun to be around. So, that’s never an issue. … He’s been six years in this league now. He has led the NBA in total turnovers over those six years by far.”
Bayless is correct in his assessment that Young has a turnover problem. The 4.4 turnovers a game he averaged this season would’ve been the worst in the NBA had he reached the 65-game threshold. That said, many great players turn the ball over at a high rate. LeBron James and Luka Doncic were both top-five in total turnovers this season.
Would Trae Young Fix Los Angeles Lakers’ Problems?
Since the Lakers won the championship in 2020, the team has struggled to be a consistent contender. Much of that has been due to the team’s inability to put a good roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers tried to do a superstar trio by adding Russell Westbrook but that turned out to be a disaster. While Skip Bayless compared Trae Young to Westbrook, they are different in a lot of ways. Young is a significantly better shooter and is much younger. However, he is plagued by some of the same issues. He’s not very effecient as a scorer and turns the ball over a lot. It’s hard to see how Young moves the needle for the Lakers but it’s understanable why they’d want to take a big swing if they lose to the Nuggets in the playoffs again.
Trae Young Wants to Stay With Atlanta Hawks
For his part, Trae Young has yet to express interest in moving to a new team. He likes Atlanta and made it clear that he hopes to remain with the team going forward.
“I mean, obviously, I want to be here. I mean I want to be here, but I want to win too,” Young said during his April 19 media availability. “So, obviously, I’ve said that since I’ve been here: I wanted – want to be here, I want to win championships here, and do that. But I want to win so that’s pretty much all it is for me. That’s my motto and that’s been me from the beginning.
“I believe it can be here. We got to make it happen.”
The Hawks have been stagnant in recent years and missed the playoffs altogether this season. It could be time for them ot shake things up and Young might be the most valuable asset.
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