3 Lakers trades that make too much sense not to happen
Even though they are limited financially, these three trades make too much sense for the Los Angeles Lakers that it must happen.
The Los Angeles Lakers ended their 2020-21 season as one of the big what-ifs of the NBA season. What if Anthony Davis didn’t get hurt, what if LeBron James stayed healthy, what if Andre Drummond could reach his full potential for the Lakers? Entering the offseason after a first-round loss to the Phoenix Suns, LA has to reload their roster for another title run.
The Lakers could gauge the trade market for quality pieces to add to their depth chart. Some of the potential trade targets make so much sense for Los Angeles; it wouldn’t make sense for them not to trade for them.
3. Kemba Walker to the Lakers
A glaring issue for the Lakers last season was the lack of a point guard. Dennis Schroder was decent, but his flop in the playoffs question whether he can be relied upon in the future. An easy fix for LA would be the acquire Kemba Walker from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite his down season last year, Walker would be a perfect fit in LA.
Walker is a scorer first, which would be a welcomed sight for the Lakers. They have not had that third reliable scorer since James and AD joined forces, and it came back to bite them this year. Walker would be able to provide a scoring burst whenever James and Davis are off the floor. His passing and leadership are two underrated parts of his game. He can always find the open man, alleviating some pressure off of James. His personality is infectious, and teammates love his positive mental attitude.
So what would it take for the Lakers to acquire Walker? First, they would need to get the equivalent of his contract of their books, meaning Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marc Gasol, and Alfonzo Mckinnie would all have to be a part of the deal. The Thunder would get a decent contributor in Kuzma, with other assets to flip in Caldwell-Pope, Gasol, and McKinnie. They’d also need Montrezl Harrell to decline his player option or be traded to make room for Walker.
It might seem like a lot, but the fit makes too much sense for the Lakers. Having a legit third scorer at the point guard spot would be the perfect ingredient for the Lakers to win another championship. Kemba Walker doesn’t seem to fit the Thunder organizational timeline, and he’ll have a great chance at catching that elusive title in LA.