Should Lakers Go After Recently Eliminated East Team's Star This Offseason?

The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing to head into the NBA playoffs right now but the offseason isn't too far away. While the team and front office are hoping for another deep playoff run, there is speculation about what will happen this summer.

Los Angeles will have some big decisions to make regarding key role players and they'll have to decide how they want to use their trade-eligible draft picks. There've been rumors swirling that the Lakers will try to make a move for a third star player this offseason, something they have wanted to do for some time.

The name that continuously gets thrown into the mix with Los Angeles is Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young. The Hawks were just recently eliminated from postseason contention after dropping their Play-In game to the Chicago Bulls. Many believe that Atlanta will blow things up this summer after multiple years of being stuck in mediocrity.

Young makes the most sense for the Hawks to trade since they can receive a nice haul back for him. The Lakers will have three draft picks available to deal with this summer, something that could entice the Hawks to move away from their star.

Pairing Young with LeBron James and Anthony Davis would be a lethal offensive combination for opponents to deal with. The pick-and-roll alone with Davis and Young could become the best in the league.

This move would also help set the Lakers up for their post-James era, even if nobody wants to envision that right now. Young is still only 25-years-old, giving the Lakers a star directly in his prime.

While it could be tricky to pull off, this is a move that the Lakers should certainly go after if it were to become available. Young would thrive playing in Los Angeles and the city would embrace him fully. The Lakers need more ammo to continue being competitive year in and year out, making this a trade worth doing.