Fansided

Winners and losers from Los Angeles Lakers/Brooklyn Nets trade

By John Buhler

Dec 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Timofey Mozgov (20) with his championship ring before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Timofey Mozgov (20) with his championship ring before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 8
Next
Dec 20, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. (7) stands on the court in the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. The Hornets defeated the Lakers 117-113. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. (7) stands on the court in the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. The Hornets defeated the Lakers 117-113. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

Loser: Larry Nance Jr.

It doesn’t matter than he can dunk, he’s a junior and he’s been replaced by a guy that is a better basketball player than him that looks kind of like him. Larry Nance Jr. is an athletically gifted big man who comes off the Lakers bench. Unfortunately this former Wyoming Cowboy isn’t going to see more playing time now that Team Lopez has come to town.

At first, it will be confusing for Lakers head coach Luke Walton to determine which healthy mop of seven-foot hair he’ll send out there to go 25-57 in 2017-18. Then he’ll realize that Lopez is finesse while Nance is just raw power, baby. Raw power doesn’t exactly win in the NBA, unless you’re named LeBron James. It’s a finesse game. Just go ask the Golden State Warriors how that turned out for them a week ago.

While this will be nothing close to Showtime Lakers, Pelinka and Johnson will get a crazy idea at some point. The only thing better than basketball dopplegangers are identical twins. Though Lopez and Nance are similar looking in appearance, the world needs Team Lopez in Los Angeles before the NBA trade deadline.

Next: What each NBA coach would be doing if he wasn’t an NBA coach

Look for Nance to be part of every Team Lopez trade from now until the trade deadline in February. The Lakers aren’t going to make the playoffs, but Chicago might want a promising above-the-rim frontcout player needing playing time. Jeannie Buss would market Team Lopez night upon Robin’s arrival like no other. If Nance hasn’t been replaced, he will be.

Home/Brooklyn Nets