Lakers Receive: Anthony Edwards, a 2030 first-round pick swap from Minnesota and a 2026 second-round pick from Brooklyn
Timberwolves Receive: Luka Dončić
Nets Receive: Joan Beringer
An “Anthony Edwards or Luka Dončić” debate creeps up on social media every once in a while. And after the Luka trade went down last season, it was eventually revealed that the Dallas Mavericks may have tried to trade him for Edwards, too.
The Minnesota Timberwolves reportedly turned down the idea, so this trade is probably a non-starter. But again, we’re operating in a world in which Edwards, Dončić (or both) have decided they want a new start.
And in that case, there may be some sense to be made of this one.
Ant’s game doesn’t overlap with Austin Reaves and LeBron James quite as much as Luka’s does. And he’s far easier to build a championship-level defense around.
The Timberwolves, meanwhile, are getting the better (in a vacuum) and more productive player, and one who can draw more out of Rudy Gobert. Luka’s playmaking would turn the big man into perhaps the most dynamic lob threat in the league. And Gobert is far better equipped to cover for Luka’s defensive shortcomings than Deandre Ayton.
Of course, there’s one other team involved here, and that’s because the current cap and apron rules make a two-team trade with these two stars nearly impossible. So, the Brooklyn Nets are swooping in with a second-round pick, their cap space and their need for a young center on the same timeline as Egor Dёmin.