With less than a week remaining before the 2025 NBA Draft, trade speculation is heating up—especially around the highly sought-after picks in what many consider one of the deepest and most talented classes in recent memory. A new three-team trade proposal from ESPN centers around one of Duke’s standout freshmen and positions the Los Angeles Lakers to potentially land Khaman Maluach.
Proposed Trade Details:
Brooklyn Nets receive:
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No. 11 pick (via Portland Trail Blazers)
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2031 unprotected first-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers)
Los Angeles Lakers receive:
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No. 8 and No. 36 picks (via Brooklyn Nets)
Portland Trail Blazers receive:
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Dalton Knecht
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2027 top-four protected first-round pick (via New York Knicks)
According to ESPN, this trade hinges on Maluach still being on the board at No. 8, where the Lakers would seize the opportunity to draft their potential center of the future. The team previously tried to acquire former Duke big man and current Charlotte Hornet Mark Williams at the last trade deadline, but the deal collapsed after Williams failed his physical.
Landing Maluach would be a near-ideal outcome for the Lakers. The 7’2″, 250-pound South Sudanese center would immediately fill a major need as a rim-protecting, pick-and-roll threat—possibly even stepping into the starting lineup from day one.
Maluach’s athleticism and pick-and-roll prowess were on full display during his rookie season at Duke, and pairing him with a superstar like Luka Dončić could maximize his impact early. Few centers in the league can match Maluach’s combination of size, agility, and footwork.
In terms of upside, Maluach arguably has one of the highest ceilings in the entire draft. A mobile 7-footer who can run the floor, defend all five positions, block shots at an elite level, and thrive in pick-and-roll sets would be a dream addition for the Lakers given their current roster makeup.
If he ends up in L.A. and meshes well alongside Dončić, Maluach could quickly emerge as one of the top big men in this year’s class.
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