Lakers News: Insider Confirms LA's Continued Interest in Superstar East Point Guard

The Los Angeles Lakers' franchise and 'starpower' are truly synonymous with one another. 

With respects to all other NBA franchises, there's not another one that can historically equal the amount of elite players who've donned the purple and gold at one point or another. 

With LeBron James presumably coming towards the end of his career, the Lakers surely will want to add another bona fide star next to the preexisting core of Anthony Davis and a suddenly-emerging Austin Reaves. Could that guy be Trae Young? 

"The Lakers have pursued other star guards, including Damian Lillard, Kyle Lowry, and Kyrie Irving. Even into this summer, there were some in the organization, including James, who still had an interest in pursuing Irving, though the front office ultimately prioritized continuity. Trae Young has long been on Los Angeles' radar, depending on how his situation unfolds in Atlanta.

- per Jovan Buha of The Athletic

Jovan Buha of The Athletic recently wrote a profile story on Austin Reaves. It mainly focused on the impact the young player has had on Team USA during the FIBA World Cup. It also spoke about his emergence as a real star within the league -- as well as the impact he projects to have this upcoming season for the Lakers. 

However, Buha did leave fans with a tantalizing nugget of info speculating on the Lakers and reported interest in All-Star guard Trae Young. 

Could the Lakers potentially be an option for Young? Hailing from the University of Oklahoma, Young has been the face of the Hawks' franchise since entering the league. The 2-time All-Star has averaged 26.5 PPG and 9.3 APG on .437 from the field and .351 from three-point range over his five-year career. 

There's no denying the skill Young brings to the floor. He's got terrific range on his perimeter shot, and is lethal with his push-shot floater. Young also has demonstrated the ability to involve his teammates at a high level.

With that said, he's a bit of an acquired taste. Those skeptical of Young point to his tiny frame, where worries namely exist on the defensive end of the floor. Turnovers can also be a problem at times. 

Atlanta is at a bit of a crossroads. It invested both draft capital and a boatload of money into Dejounte Murray -- also a dominant lead guard. Quin Snyder is also now the head coach of the franchise. We'll see how Snyder plans on using both Murray and Young together. 

At the very least, it's smart for the Lakers to do their due diligence when seeking out a potential trade down the line for Young. LA probably has enough to cobble together a combination of contracts and picks. Plus, the allure of playing in LA on the sport's biggest stage likely would appeal to Young (should he be made available).  

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