NBA Teams Strategize Late Summer Trades

The Los Angeles Lakers have been criticized for their lack of significant offseason moves despite LeBron James' continued high-level performance, including an MVP showing at the recent Team USA tournament. While they have assets like future first-round picks and mid-sized salaries, players such as D'Angelo Russell could be traded to bring in role players to support a championship run. Meanwhile, the 2024 NBA Draft has introduced new talent, with rookies like Dalton Knecht and Nikola Topic potentially on the move as teams look to package young prospects in trades for immediate star power. Additionally, NBA teams increasingly make blockbuster trades late into the summer, as seen with recent trades involving stars like Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard. In the G League, Kylor Kelley earned All-Defense honors due to his exceptional shot-blocking and rebounding, which has brought him into the NBA spotlight.