Here are three deals the Lakers might make to strengthen their team and contend for an NBA championship as the trade deadline draws closer.
There will be a lot of changes in the league between now and the trade deadline on February 8. It’s no secret that the Lakers are eager to acquire Dejounte Murray; they’ve even held trade negotiations with Atlanta.
How do the Lakers want to use this trade deadline, though? How can they obtain what they need? Let’s examine the possibilities in more detail.
Prior to proceeding, keep in mind that the secret to creating a trade is to create a situation where both sides stand to gain and have an incentive to accept. Often, after experiencing their greatest setback, supporters would outplay their contract by trading for the top player on a different team. It goes beyond simply matching salaries. It must be logical in ways that go beyond money.
How to get to Zach LaVine
According to current sources, the Lakers intend to improve the guard position. They are looking for a guy that can start offenses, shoot well from three, and score goals on their own. Though his contract is terrible and he is far from ideal, Zach LaVine does meet many of these criteria. This explains why he’s been associated with the Lakers, despite the fact that recent sources indicate there’s ‘a zero percent chance’ the Lakers will acquire LaVine.
Given his defensive shortcomings and the fact that he is in the second year of a $215 million, five-year contract, the asking price for him is simply too much. It would probably need a trade in which the Lakers get LaVine and the Bulls acquire D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and the 2025 first-round selection for both sides to agree. Just to make the math work, you need Russell and Hachimura’s contracts, which seems like a big price to pay.
Giving LeBron James another chance doesn’t seem worth it, and I don’t think it benefits you in the long run, but if the Lakers want to make the move, this might be the necessary step to do.
Getting to know Dejounte Murray
Murray is a far better choice for the gold and purple. He’s a lot younger player with a better upside who is signed to a four-year, $120 million contract. Though both teams appear to be at a distance from one another and the reported asking price is considerable, weeks of possible discussions remain.
There is justification for the exchange on both sides. Trae Young and Aaron Murray, the backcourt of Atlanta, are currently 16-23, a testament to their lack of success as a unit. They mostly concentrate on creating a winner around Young because he is their star player.
Los Angeles’s record isn’t much better at 20–21, but with Murray joining the team, things might improve enough to offer Los Angeles a chance to compete in the West.
Both sides will need to make concessions in order to gain Murray and satisfy both parties. The Lakers have the option to deal Reaves, but if they do, they’ve stated that they’d prefer more than Murray. Furthermore, considering how much they had to sell to the San Antonio Spurs in order to acquire Murray in the first place, the Hawks appear to desire Reaves in addition to Murray.
Reaves, Prince, Vincent, Reddish, and Hayes should be enough to entice Atlanta to agree to a deal, but Los Angeles loses so many assets in the deal that it’s difficult to see a net gain, even with guys like Clint Capela and Bogdan Bogdanović returning.
Two excellent players who can score, distribute the floor, and offer the Lakers size are Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neal. The team is strengthened by a deal involving Cam Reddish, Hood-Schifino, Vincent, and Prince. You still have to deal for a player like Murray if you want to keep important assets like Russell, Hachimura, and Reaves. This is more of a marginal move that nevertheless gives you the opportunity to hit a big one somewhere else.
Terry Rozier can be acquired if Los Angeles wants to make a more dramatic move. A straight-up deal with Russell involved would be beneficial, and perhaps they could add something extra to force the Hornets to act. Rozier is a primary ball handler and a certified bucket even though he may not be the most well-known player.
For a number of years now, two things have been true: Kyle Kuzma still desires to play for the Laker team and the Lakers are still interested in him. Is it possible for them to return him home? Although it is fun, Jordan Poole and him together are not a winning combination.
The Lakers could give up Russell and Hood-Schifino in exchange for Kuzmania if they so want. Although Kuzma isn’t the team’s main ball handler, he can score and knows his place in the lineup behind James and Anthony Davis. He loves being a Laker and knows what it means to be one, so I believe you would receive the greatest version of him in return.
The Wizards would demand two first-round picks in exchange for Kuzma, according to reports from Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, and it seems like a steep price. But once more, that’s all part of the bargaining process.
Before the dust settles on trades and this team’s composition for the last stretch of the season, we still have weeks to go. These transactions serve as illustrations of the Lakers’ alternatives and what is feasible, contingent on their willingness to let go of certain players.
This team has defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder twice, defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in close games, and taken home the NBA In-Season Tournament title.
Despite finishing below.500 on the season, they have elite talent, and you could envision a situation in which a few changes would put them back in the running. To make that happen, they need to close these deals, so let’s see whether Rob Pelinka, vice president of basketball operations, can pull another surprise at trade deadline.
