{"id":574745,"date":"2026-02-01T08:35:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-01T08:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/574745\/"},"modified":"2026-02-01T08:35:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T08:35:26","slug":"lakers-step-back-from-48m-trade-negotiation-as-insider-reveals-requireddeal-breaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/574745\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Step Back From $48M Trade Negotiation as Insider Reveals RequiredDeal-Breaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> should be busy this trade deadline. The team is looking to improve its supporting cast to address defensive needs while also adding more offensive pieces next to the star trio of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James. However, recent reports suggest that the prices may be getting too high.<\/p>\n

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints<\/a>, Rob Pelinka and the Lakers\u2019 front office recently engaged the Cleveland Cavaliers in discussions to acquire reserve forward De\u2019Andre Hunter, even reaching a potential framework. Conversations advanced far enough for both sides to evaluate the fit, the money, and the long-term implications. However, the tentative structure has raised some red flags, resulting in the Lakers \u201ctaking a step back in discussions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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According to reports, the framework for the trade included sending forward Rui Hachimura<\/a> and sophomore Dalton Knecht as a buy-low spot, but didn\u2019t see any draft compensation coming back with Hunter. From a pure talent perspective, this is already a tough ask, given that the Japanese forward has been a major offensive piece for LA. From an asset management perspective, this became even harder to justify.<\/p>\n

\"Mar<\/p>\n

Mar 16, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward De\u2019Andre Hunter (12) reacts in the first quarter against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

On paper, the Lakers\u2019 appeal of Hunter is not surprising. The team has been searching for a reliable 3-and-D presence, someone who can guard across multiple positions without needing touches, and Hunter checks all those boxes. At 6\u20197\u2033 and 221 lbs., he\u2019s big, experienced, and a proven playoff performer, the exact archetype of wing that contenders usually pay a premium for.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the deal between the Lakers and the Cavaliers<\/a> seems to have stalled. According to the report, Pelinka\u2019s hesitation centered on Hunter\u2019s contract, which pays him a total of $48.2 million, $23.3 million this year and $24.9 million next year. Absorbing this money without any sweeteners was considered too risky, and the Lakers backed off.<\/p>\n

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Why De\u2019Andre Hunter\u2019s contract became a line the Lakers wouldn\u2019t cross<\/p>\n

De\u2019Andre Hunter<\/a>\u2018s contract isn\u2019t the most unmovable contract in the league, but it\u2019s not a clean move. The size and structure of the final year matter for a Lakers team already juggling the upcoming Austin Reaves contract extension, making it even more complicated. Reaves will be eligible to sign a five-year, $241 million deal and a four-year, $178.5 million deal elsewhere, per Bobby Marks of ESPN.<\/p>\n

So, the Hunter trade, without any additional assets, especially given the Lakers\u2019 already limited future draft capital, ended up looking more like a commitment than an upgrade for them.<\/p>\n

From the Cavaliers\u2019 side, Hunter clearly still holds value, and they\u2019re not looking to dump his salary. For teams looking for postseason matchups, he\u2019s a good wing candidate, but as the Lakers slow down their offers, flexibility is key unless the upside is undeniable.<\/p>\n

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Other teams have shown interest in Hunter, and their offers might be different based on cap sheets and their own timelines. The Sacramento Kings are one such team, looking to trade Keon Ellis alongside Malik Monk<\/a> or Dennis Schroder, but they\u2019ll need a third team to be involved for such a move to take place.<\/p>\n

For the Lakers, however, the threshold is firm: no long-term money without guaranteed long-term value. They\u2019ve drawn the line, and even with James and Doncic<\/a> anchoring the present, Pelinka\u2019s front office is refusing to overpay for marginal improvement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Los Angeles Lakers should be busy this trade deadline. The team is looking to improve its supporting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":574746,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3790],"tags":[1013,7,193,1250,1219,1024,3211,4034,1698,300,4044,185,251,150,4033,4043,368,1267,4164,6,76,3088,1012,477,54253],"class_list":{"0":"post-574745","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-los-angeles-lakers","8":"tag-austin-reaves","9":"tag-basketball","10":"tag-cleveland-cavaliers","11":"tag-dalton-knecht","12":"tag-deandre-hunter","13":"tag-dennis-schroder","14":"tag-keon-ellis","15":"tag-la","16":"tag-la-lakers","17":"tag-lakers","18":"tag-lalakers","19":"tag-lebron-james","20":"tag-los-angeles","21":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","22":"tag-losangeles","23":"tag-losangeleslakers","24":"tag-luka-doncic","25":"tag-malik-monk","26":"tag-mandatory-credit","27":"tag-nba","28":"tag-orlando-magic","29":"tag-rob-pelinka","30":"tag-rui-hachimura","31":"tag-sacramento-kings","32":"tag-ucla-health-training-center"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/115994462368386500","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=574745"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574745\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/574746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=574745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=574745"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=574745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}