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The Los Angeles Lakers were abruptly bounced from the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs by Anthony Edwards and Minnesota Timberwolves.
Los Angeles fell in five games to Minnesota, sending the storied franchise back to the drawing board to prepare for the 2025-26 campaign. First-year head coach JJ Redick deployed plenty of small-ball lineups with rangy wings against the Timberwolves to make up for their serious lack of frontcourt talent, but it was to no avail.
While their general manager Rob Pelinka will be scouring the free agency market for a suitable addition at the center position, it could be argued that the team would benefit from bringing in another forward with lights-out shooting prowess and NBA Finals D.N.A to share the floor with Luka Dončić and LeBron James.
Luckily enough, a perfect trade candidate with the right intangibles from the San Antonio Spurs could become available this offseason.
If the Spurs decide to hear offers, Los Angeles may be able to ship a package consisting of their No. 17 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt away in exchange for forward Harrison Barnes this summer.
At 32 years old, the 2015 NBA champion as a member of the Golden State Warriors and former 19.2-point scorer for the Dallas Mavericks in 2016-17 has garnered a reputation as one of the league's most reliable role players.
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While appearing in all 82 regular season contests for San Antonio in 2024-25, the 6-foot-8 combo-forward averaged 12.3 points and 3.8 rebounds while knocking down a blistering 43.3% of his 4.4 three-point attempts and finishing with an uber-efficient 65.6% true shooting percentage.
By prospectively pairing the experienced glue-guy with sensational play-makers like James and Dončić, Barnes could be the beneficiary of pinpoint passes leading to catch-and-shoot opportunities from distance, a shot type that the 13-year veteran knocked down with 44.1% accuracy this past season.
Still, Barnes is far from just a three-point marksman. The savvy scoring forward has made a career off of his mid-post skillset and ability to finish strong at the rim, making him a great option to land with the Lakers as a versatile source of on-on-one shot-creation.
San Antonio may be inclined to perform a transaction of this nature. The Spurs are entering a new era in the immediate aftermath of their legendary former head coach Gregg Popovich's decision to step away from his on-court duties after 29 years as lead strategist.
With that being said, San Antonio bringing in a promising young prospect like Knecht while dumping Barnes' expiring $19 million salary for the 2025-26 season could be in the cards.
If the Lakers were to add an NBA champion and supporting piece of Barnes' caliber to assist Dončić and James, the organization could inch closer towards hanging its 18th championship banner next year.
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