If a recent ESPN trade proposal comes to fruition, then the Los Angeles Lakers would finally land their dream center: Jarrett Allen of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
ESPN recently published an article in which they discussed potential trade offers that could convince the Dallas Mavericks to move the No. 1 pick. It's an unlikely outcome, which inevitably resulted in the proposal of three potential deals that Dallas might actually consider.
One hypothetical trade centered around the San Antonio Spurs providing significant draft compensation, while another was built around Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, cap relief, and a mountain of picks. Both possibilities offered reason for intrigue.
The reason Lakers fans should be tuned in to what ESPN suggested, however, is the four-team deal that would center around Donovan Mitchell ending up in Dallas and the No. 1 pick going to Cleveland.
It's a complicated proposal, but the crux of the deal for the Lakers is that they would trade Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, and three first-round pick swaps for Allen.
Lakers land Jarrett Allen in ESPN's four-team trade proposal
The obvious upside is that Allen is one of the best centers in the NBA. He was an All-Star in 2021-22, is a legitimate two-way talent, and has been the interior anchor for a team that's won 163 games over the past three seasons.
Moreover, Allen has been a reliable double-double machine over a long period of time, averaging 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.7 steals per game since 2019.
In Los Angeles, Allen would instantly stabilize the team's defensive consistency with his mere presence on the court. He's an excellent team defender, as well as a phenomenal deterrant at the rim with his 7'6" wingspan and high-level athleticism for his archetype.
Allen is also an elite rim-runner who ranked No. 4 in the NBA in points as the pick-and-roll dive man per game. Moreover, he thrives as the type of lob target Luka Doncic has proven to covet.
The cost of doing business offers cause for concern, as Kleber, Knecht, and Vincent make up what projects to be much of Los Angeles' bench depth in 2025-26. Furthermore, the Lakers would be sending out three pick swaps to the Mavericks.
The upside of those pick swaps, however, is that both Dallas and Los Angeles should be competitive if the Doncic and Mitchell eras play out as ESPN seemingly projects they will.
The true hurdle here is convincing both Cleveland and Dallas that this trade makes sense. The Mavericks would be trading Cooper Flagg for Mitchell, who will turn 29 in September. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, would be trading their All-NBA First Team superstar mere months after winning 64 games.
In the event that this trade were to transpire, however, the Lakers would get a true franchise center in the prime of their career at 27 years of age. One can't help but feel intrigued.
