While the Lakers may not currently be viewed as the frontrunners to secure the services of Damian Lillard, underestimating Rob Pelinka’s determination would be ill-advised.

One potential strategy for the Lakers to engineer this significant move involves fulfilling D’Angelo Russell’s desire for a substantial contract by offering team options, which would facilitate a sign-and-trade agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers. However, executing such a deal would likely include one or both of the Lakers’ recent draft picks in addition to future draft considerations.

To accommodate Lillard’s considerable salary, which exceeds $45 million annually for the next two seasons, a contract offer for Austin Reaves, one of the Lakers’ promising draft selections, would need to reflect a significant financial commitment.

Reaves’ potential contract structure could mirror that of Gilbert Arenas, with an initial annual salary of approximately $12 million for the next two years, followed by subsequent years rewarding his emergence as a burgeoning star. Is it possible to land Lillard in Laker-land? The answer is Yes.