Lakers Mock Trade: 2x All-Star and $9 million stretch big join front court as Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt make way

The Los Angeles Lakers have been quiet for a while now. They made some marginal moves to improve the roster, with Deandre Ayton's addition as their only marquee signing of sorts.

They bolstered their defense with Marcus Smart, but that may not be enough to compete with other powerhouses in the Western Conference.

With that in mind, Reddit user BSA_Bench put together a trade proposal that could bolster their scoring and clear up one roster spot by sending Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Chicago Bulls. In return, they'd get Nikola Vucevic, Jevon Carter and Jalen Smith.

Of course, the big prize here would be Vucevic, a stretch big man who can embrace a similar offensive role to Brook Lopez, and who's on the final year of his contract, so should be available.

Smith, on the other hand, can give them another stretch big on a team-friendly deal, as he's making just $9 million this season.

Losing a defender like Vanderbilt could hurt, but he has struggled with injuries for years now. As for Vincent and Kleber, they'll find it tough to crack the rotation as things stand now.

Last but not least, Dalton Knecht didn't look sharp in the second half of the season, and the Lakers already proved that they were more than ready and willing to move on from him with the failed Mark Williams trade.

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The Lakers could demote Dalton Knecht to the G-League

Early last season, Dalton Knecht looked like the steal of the NBA Draft and the most NBA-ready player in a somewhat underwhelming class.

However, after watching him almost fall out of the rotation late in the season and then struggle in the Las Vegas Summer League, NBA analyst Matt Evans wouldn't be shocked if the Lakers sent him to the G-League, provided they can't find a trade suitor:

"His trade value has already slipped, shifting him from asset to potential liability in future deals," Evans wrote on Tuesday. "If his slump continues, a stint with the South Bay Lakers in the G League could be on the horizon. That might benefit his development, but it’s a sobering possibility for a 24-year-old selected 17th overall."

Perhaps all Knecht needs to get his groove back is a stint going against lesser competition and, more importantly, getting consistent touches.