When it’s trade season, everyone tends to throw out their best ideas, and sometimes their worst ones too. NBA analyst Max Kellerman may have landed in the latter with a suggestion that raised a few eyebrows.
With the Los Angeles Lakers not so quietly keeping tabs on the trade market, names like Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt have been floated as possible pieces, along with bigger ones such as Austin Reaves and even LeBron James. It may not even matter how realistic they are. Once fans and analysts start debating them, the idea takes on a life of its own.
Kellerman’s take goes further than most. Pointing to the Lakers’ need for defense and Luka’s long-criticized limitations on that end of the floor, he believes moving Doncic would be the right move.
“If you wanna win a championship, I believe that your best player needs to… at least play team defense… Luka and Austin are redundant. I can get x for Austin. I can get 3x for Luka.”
Max Kellerman says the Lakers should consider trading Luka Doncic
“If you wanna win a championship, I believe that your best player needs to… at least play team defense… Luka and Austin are redundant. I can get x for Austin. I can get 3x for Luka.”pic.twitter.com/EAblnjdU6q
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) January 15, 2026
