New Blockbuster Three-Team Trade Sends Jakob Poeltl and Chris Boucher to Lakers, Hawks Add Versatile Defender

One of the worst-kept secrets of the offseason is that the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be adding a big man this summer. Their thin center rotation of Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len got exposed during both the regular season. Neither player could protect the rim or consistently offer much of an offenisve threat. Adding a more proven option is of vital importance if the Lakers want to be a more serious contender next season.

Fortunately for LA, there are a few teams who might be interested in parting with their big men for the right price. One such team is the Toronto Raptors. Their center, Jakob Poeltl, had an excellent season in 2024-25. He averaged a career-best 14.6 points and 9.6 rebounds on 64.1 TS%, which is one of the better efficiency marks of his career. However, he is in search of a new contract and the Raptors aren't especially motivated to give it to him because he has another season under contract before facing a player option decision in 2026-27 for $19.5 million. They just paid Brandon Ingram and are running up against the first apron due to the deals they've handed out in recent years. If they can't agree on a new deal, a trade could make a lot of sense for both Poeltl and Toronto.

After getting eliminated in the play-in tournament by the Miami Heat, the Atlanta Hawks need to make some changes in the offseason if they want to be a consistent postseason threat. Fortunately, they have $40 million in cap space under the luxury tax threshold to work with in signings and trades. At the moment, the Hawks need interior defense, frontcourt depth, shooting, and maybe a backup lead guard/ball handler. This is not a great free agent class to be filling those needs, so could the Hawks look to the trade market?

It's known that the Lakers have some deal of interest in Poeltl. Michael Grange of SportsNet, a Raptors beat reporter, stated before the 2024-25 trade deadline that discussions were had between Toronto and LA about moving Poeltl west.

"LA inquired about him, but the sense is the Raptors are holding out for an offer that would include a first-round pick (likely with a certain level of protection) and the only one the Lakers have left to offer is a 2031 first they’ve been clutching tightly for years."

If a deal that sends Poeltl to the Lakers emerges, how could the Hawks benefit from such a move? Here is one possible framework.

It should be noted that this is just a speculative and fun exercise to see what kind of moves can be made, not what I think the Hawks or any other teams should do or will do. That is all.

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, 2025 2nd round pick (via POR, from TOR), 2026 2nd round pick (via LAL, from TOR)

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jakob Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji, 2027 2nd round pick, 2029 2nd round pick, Chris Boucher (via S&T)

Toronto Raptors Receive: Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Kobe Bufkin, Mouhamed Gueye, 2025 2nd round pick (via LAL), 2031 1st-round pick (top-3 protected)

Why the Hawks do this trade: Jarred Vanderbilt has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, but there's no denying that he's a great defender when he's on the court. The 6'8 wing is a great on-ball defender capable of switching and staying with a variety of different assignments. He's also a great rebounder, finishing in the 83rd percentile for offensive rebounding. For a team that desperately needs more defenders on the perimeter and has a talented playmaker in Trae Young to create offensive opportunities, the fit between Vanderbilt and the Hawks could be much stronger than his current role in LA.

Why the Hawks do not do this trade: Vanderbilt has never shown the offensive ability to stay on the court in the playoffs and he isn't a reliable shooter. He's a career 28.8% shooter from deep and only hits 63.8% of his free throws for his career.He's more of a defensive specialist, which limits how many minutes you can give him before his minutes become a net-negative. The Hawks do have a very high offensive floor, but they don't have especially strong spacing. That could make Vanderbilt's fit tough to accomodate.

Why the Lakers do this trade: Realistically, the Lakers need two big men this offseason because it is rare for an NBA center to make it through even 70 games right now. Poeltl slides in nicely as a starter who can handle heavy minutes while Boucher is an experienced backup who brings a slightly higher ceiling, but lower floor than Poeltl. Poeltl is a excellent defensive anchor who controls the paints and contests shots. He's also a great screener and roll man, which would pair well with Luka Doncic or LeBron James in the P&R. He's a reliable finisher at the rim, hitting 70% of his attempts there and finishing in the 84th percentile from that spot. Boucher makes up for the fact that Poeltl does not space the floor. He shot 36.3% from deep on 3.9 attempts per game, so he is a more credible five-out lineup option if the Lakers want to go into those looks. In the month of January, he had an incredible stretch for the Raptors where he shot 63.4 percent from the field, 53.1 percent beyond the arc and averaged 11.5 points per game. If he can tap into that on occasion, the Lakers will have one of the best backup centers in the league. Furthermore, Agbaji was excellent for Toronto this season as a 3&D wing. The Lakers desperately need more wings who can stay on the court during postseason basketball and Agbaji could be that because he's a high-level shooter who attacks the rim and plays solid defense.

Why the Lakers do not do this trade: Their 2031 first-round pick is their best asset and they have to make sure they deploy it for the right player rather than wasting it on something that won't fit their roster for the next few seasons. Both Poeltl and Boucher are on the older side of their careers and that could be an issue for the Lakers finding a permanent solution to this problem.

Why the Raptors do this trade: A loosely protected Lakers first-round pick is a very exciting prospect for the Raptors to have in their arsenal of picks. Their roster is currently only $6 million below the tax threshold and they don't project as being significantly better in 2025-26. It might be worth taking a step back and seeing if they can make the playoffs with a cheaper roster rather than giving another member of their roster a big-time future extension. Vincent can be a solid defender when he's healthy and Kleber has value to a contending team if his three-point shot starts to fall. Bufkin has struggled to stay healthy in his career, but he is a good defensive point guard who shows flashes of being able to handle a bigger role. Toronto has a need for another ball-handler because of Immanuel Quickley's frequent injuries and Bufkin could step into that role. However, the most exciting part of this deal from a player standpoint is Mo Gueye. Gueye impressed in Atlanta as a defender this season and even showed some signs of a three-point shot, nailing four in a upset win versus the Bucks this year. He's still developing, but he could develop into a far more versatile and younger replacement for Poeltl or Boucher if he continues his current trajectory.

Why the Raptors do not do this trade: Agbaji just had an excellent shooting year for them and they might not want to lose his presence in their rotation. In addition, they are taking on a lot of players with injury concerns in Vincent, Kleber and Bufkin. Considering that they weren't the healthiest team last year, that could be too much risk for the Raptors to take on.

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