After acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks in February, the Los Angeles Lakers were projected to compete for the championship this year.
The Lakers were the third seed in the West this year, the second-highest seed LeBron James has had with the purple and gold since signing with Los Angeles in the summer of 2018.
Doncic, James and the Lakers faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year's playoffs. Los Angeles had home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.
However, Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves beat the Lakers in five quick games. James, who had never lost in the first round of the playoffs before joining Los Angeles, has lost in the first round three times with the Lakers.
For James and Doncic to win a championship together, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has to surround the All-Stars with better role players.
Los Angeles Lakers stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James could benefit from this NBA trade idea.
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
With that said, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report proposed that Los Angeles acquire Jakob Poeltl from the Toronto Raptors and Lonzo Ball from the Chicago Bulls in a four-team trade with the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.
In Pincus' trade idea, the Raptors would get Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Smith and Jevon Carter, the Bucks would get RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Chris Boucher, Ja'Kobe Walter and Gabe Vincent, the Lakers would get Ball and Poeltl and the Bulls would get Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt, Shake Milton and AJ Lawson.
Poeltl appeared in 57 games for the Raptors this season. He averaged 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds while shooting 62.7% from the field. The 29-year-old will make $19.5 million next season.
Meanwhile, Ball appeared in 35 games this season after missing two years in a row with a serious knee injury. The UCLA product averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists for the Bulls. Ball began his career with the Lakers. He'll make $10 million next season.