NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers considering blockbuster 3-team deal to reunite with ex-guard & Donte DiVincenzo to bolster second unit

The LA Lakers have taken an aggressive approach to strengthen their roster during the 2025 offseason. Following the acquisitions of Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart, the Purple & Gold are reportedly hoping to make further upgrades, particularly in the backcourt.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, the Lakers have shown a strong interest in reuniting with former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as well as pursuing Donte DiVincenzo.

Rob Pelinka and the Lakers’ front office had discussions with the Memphis Grizzlies about KCP after the Desmond Bane trade with the Orlando Magic was finalized.

They also attempted to initiate talks with the Timberwolves about DiVincenzo, but Minnesota quickly shot down any potential deal, unwilling to part ways with their guard.

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“The Lakers discussed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Donte DiVincenzo as potential trade targets with the Grizzlies and Timberwolves, sources told @ClutchPoints,” Siegel reported on X (formerly called Twitter).

“KCP talks happened after he was included in the Bane-ORL trade. MIN immediately turned down DiVincenzo talks.”

Although acquiring DiVincenzo seems unlikely, Caldwell-Pope remains a realistic target for the Lakers. A reunion with KCP could provide Los Angeles with a reliable and veteran presence off the bench.

Caldwell-Pope had spent four seasons with the Lakers, averaging 11.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game from 2017–2021. Additionally, he brings much-needed championship experience, having won the title with the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets in 2023.

With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves expected to be the starting backcourt duo, any new additions like KCP would likely be part of the second unit.

Lakers could lose LeBron James

Earlier in the offseason, LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option to return to the LA Lakers for an eighth season. However, his future with the franchise remains uncertain, as the team is yet to convince LBJ to sign an extension.

According to insiders, there's chatter regarding LeBron’s desire to join a new team to pursue his goal of winning a fifth NBA title. Rumors suggest James is considering leaving the Lakers ahead of the 2024-25 season to reunite with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving in Dallas.

"In particular, the whispers about him having eyes for Dallas — a place where he could have teamed up with former teammates Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving and young phenom Cooper Flagg — before opting into his deal were hard to ignore," The Athletic's John Hollinger wrote.

James has spent seven seasons with the Lakers, averaging 26.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game.

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About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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