The Los Angeles Lakers need to make some moves this offseason to give themselves a chance to improve on their 47-35 record from last season, which led to a first-round exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. Outside adding a new head coach in JJ Redick and rookies Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, the Lakers don’t have a lot of new personnel on their roster to help them improve over what they achieved last season.
The Miami Heat have been on a steady decline over the last few seasons, making the last two Playoffs by fighting through the Play-In Tournament. Even though they made a Finals run in 2023, the teams around them have rapidly added talent to their rosters while the Heat have made minor moves that have little impact on their ceiling. Both the Lakers and Heat could come together in a deal where they swap scoring guards to implement into their own offensive setups.
Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Terry Rozier
Miami Heat Receive: D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2029 First-Round Top-10 Protected Pick (LAL)
The Lakers finally find a new home for the disgruntled Russell who has openly been on the trade block for the better part of a year now. Meanwhile, the Heat take an early exit on their Terry Rozier acquisition from this winter and bring home a 2029 first-round pick to replace the pick they sent to the Hornets in February.
The Lakers Acquire A Veteran Guard To Maximize Winning Now
D’Angelo Russell has been a solid scorer for the Lakers but has been wrought with inconsistency, which hurt the Lakers for large stretches last season. The discontent his presence creates is also not ideal for the Lakers heading into next season as they hope to maximize the final years of contention possible from LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Russell’s pure shooting prowess isn’t enough to justify keeping him at the expense of a guard like Rozier.
Terry Rozier averaged 19.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists last season for the Hornets and the Heat, showing off his stable offensive skill set. While he doesn’t shoot as well as Russell (36.3% on 6.7 attempts last season), he’s a multi-level scorer with great passing instincts and much better defensive effort. Rozier isn’t a lockdown defender but remains active and plays with hustle, something the Lakers could use instead of Russell.
Rozier would be a natural fit next to Austin Reaves or Max Christie in the backcourt depending on what the Lakers have in mind. For possessions where LeBron is playing as a point forward, Rozier would fit into the offensive scheme easily as a partner in the two-man game or as a moving off-ball target that keeps defenses on their toes. The margin for improvement is there, provided the presence of LeBron and AD can help JJ Redick extract the same from Rozier.
The Miami Heat Add Assets And Prepare Themselves For The Future
It’s no secret that the Heat are heading into this season with a major question about Jimmy Butler’s future. Butler is not expected to re-sign with the team as of now, with the Brooklyn Nets expected to be one of Butler’s biggest suitors next summer. The Heat might not have enough to keep the Nets away from Butler, as they’re unwilling to pay Butler the supermax contract he’s entitled to until he meets conditions set by Pat Riley.
With Butler’s long-term insecurity, the Heat can acquire a valuable future pick from the Lakers to replace the one they sent out to acquire Rozier in the first place. Russell is also an expiring contract, giving the Heat additional salary flexibility this summer, whether that means replacing Butler or offering home more money due to Rozier’s multi-year deal being off the books.
Russell averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists on 41.5% from three on 7.2 attempts per game last season, bringing a win-now function to the Heat as well. He’s a competent passer and scorer, though a backcourt of him and Tyler Herro might be a little too loose defensively. At the same time, they can be an explosive offensive duo who helps the Heat climb out of the bottom of the offensive rating rankings in the NBA.
They entered the 2024 Playoffs with the second-worst offensive rating for qualifying teams, something the Russell acquisition could change.
A Guard Swap That Serves Both Teams
Rozier is the better player right now when you compare him to Russell, which explains why the Lakers are forking out a protected pick alongside their 2023 first-round draft selection Jalen Hood-Schifino. It gives the Heat some long-term assets they can rely upon if Butler ends up leaving the franchise next summer. At the same time, Russell does bring enough to the table to help the Heat remain competitive in an Eastern Conference where five teams are expected to be in the hunt for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Draft.
The Lakers can consider these assets well-spent if Rozier can be the solution at guard the team has been looking for in the last few seasons. He has the compatibility with LeBron’s play style to be the primary ball-handler or an off-ball scoring threat next to him. Rozier could also be effective in the pick-and-roll with Davis, making him a snug fit on the Lakers.
Both teams need to change what they’re doing given how their success has stagnated in recent seasons, with this deal giving both of them a new element that could boost their success going forward.
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