3 Lakers who can't be traded until Dec. 15
The NBA trade season is coming in just over a week and with the current landscape there could be a lot of players available for trade. One team that is always mentioned near the trade deadline is the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers entered this season with aspirations of winning a championship. At the moment they are the seventh seed with a 12-9 record but just two games behind the two seed in the Western Conference. Outside of their four convincing NBA In-Season Tournament wins, the Lakers have had their struggles so far this season.
There is a great possibility that the Lakers could make a move during the regular season but they'll need to wait a bit. The reason for that is due to trade restrictions placed on newly signed free agents. Here are three Lakers that can't be traded until December 15.
3. Cam Reddish
Cam Reddish was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and played for the Hawks, Knicks, and Trail Blazers throughout his rookie contract. On July 6, 2023, he signed a two-year $4.6 million contract with the Lakers.
The rules of signing a new contract with a team state that the player cannot be traded until Dec. 15 or three months after the contract was signed, whichever comes later. Since three months after July 6 comes much earlier than Dec. 15, that's why he can't be traded yet.
At the moment, Reddish has found a new home with the Lakers. Having a mentor with the basketball IQ of LeBron James, has really helped Reddish develop into a solid player. His overall numbers have not looked the best averaging 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game on .420/.319/.821 shooting splits but he seems like a reliable rotation player for the first time in his career.
He really took a jump since he became a full-time starter in the Lakers' first In-Season Tournament game. He has averaged 9.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on .484/.419/.857 shooting splits in his last nine games since Nov. 10. In the 10 games that Reddish has been a starter the Lakers are 8-2.
With Reddish's 3-and-D ability in the starting lineup, he has now become a very valuable piece for the Lakers. If their offensive struggles continue, he may become a great asset in a trade for a star but the Lakers aren't able to do anything about it until December 15.