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Lakers Trade Pitch Reunites Luka Doncic with Untapped ‘Freak Athlete’
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- Lakers Trade Pitch Reunites Luka Doncic with Untapped ‘Freak Athlete’
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers Getty
As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to seek upgrades at the wing position, some fans have brought up the name of Josh Green , who was part of the Luka Doncic -led Dallas Mavericks team that reached the 2024 NBA Finals.
Green has often been called "a freak athlete" by his peers, but the Australian is a well-rounded player with a lot to offer. Notably, he's shot an impressive 38.7% from three in his six seasons, including a career-high 42% for the Charlotte Hornets last year. The 25-year-old Green was acquired by the Minnesota Timberwolves at the start of the offseason as part of the Naz Reid trade, but could be on the move again, given that he's on an expiring $14.6M salary heading into the 2026-27 season.
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A three-team Lakers trade idea doing the rounds would reunite Doncic with Green, while the Timberwolves land Clint Capela as a backup to Rudy Gobert . Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets — who could desperately use shooting — would land two players with the potential to space the floor for Fred VanVleet , Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun .
Lakers Trade Idea for Josh Green
Timberwolves would receive:Clint Capela
Lakers would receive:Josh Green
Rockets would receive: Dalton Knecht , Jake LaRavia
Why the Lakers Do It
Many feel that Green has a lot of untapped potential and is more than just a high-flyer. As noted above, he shot an impressive 42% from three last season, proving to be a key piece of the Hornets team that went on a nine-game winning streak in February and nearly ended their 10-year postseason drought.
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In his four seasons with the Mavericks, Green started 62 games, averaging 9.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists while making 1.3 threes per game at a clip of 38%. Green also earned the reputation of a tough defender, becoming a favorite of Doncic.
So much so that Doncic called Green "the toughest Australian" he had ever played with or against during the All-Star break earlier this year. That's some high praise, given that he has gone up against the likes of Ben Simmons , Patty Mills and Joe Ingles .
While Green may not be a starter on the Lakers, he can be relied upon as a steady 3-and-D wing off the bench, joining Collin Sexton , fellow Aussie Matisse Thybulle , Ziaire Williams , rookie Cameron Carr and others in JJ Redick's second unit.
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The Lakers would have little to lose with this hypothetical trade. They'd end the Dalton Knecht experiment, while dumping LaRavia for Green's expiring deal. Furthermore, they'd bring their roster size down to 15, bringing them closer to training camp.
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