The Los Angeles Lakers are 10-6 to start the season and are firmly in the playoff picture. Still, the team is far from at its best and has been included in its fair share of trade rumors as the season heats up. With plenty of targets to pursue, the Lakers have been linked to some premier centers on the trade market but could shift their priorities.
While the interior defense in Los Angeles clearly needs some work, the Lakers’ average assist numbers as a team suggest that they could use an upgrade at point guard, especially given that LeBron James is leading the team with 9.1 dimes per night.
Backcourt responsibilities are currently divided between Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell. The Lakers’ in-state rival Sacramento Kings are currently 12th in the Western Conference despite adding DeMar DeRozan via a trade, and star point guard De’Aaron Fox might be on the verge of requesting a trade.
Should he ask out, expect the Lakers to immediately be linked to him. As always, the NBA’s biggest team will be expected to get in on the action, but with DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis under contract for at least three more seasons, don’t expect the Kings to embrace a rebuild.
Rather, the Lakers would have to part with win-now players to allow the Kings to continue to compete. The Lakers have five first-round picks to trade or swap, but the Kings would likely prefer quality players.
Reaves, Russell and Max Christie match salary, and the first two are bonafide players, although not as good as Fox. Expect the Lakers to, at minimum, have to part with those three players and an unprotected pick to land Fox.
Adding “Swipa” would give Anthony Davis a long-term running mate once James finally retires, and once Fox’s name enters the rumor mill, expect him and the Lakers to be inseparable in mock trades and projections.