The trade deadline is nearing, and there’s no doubt that a lot of teams will be looking to improve. The Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers will likely be among those teams. Both franchises have cores with veteran stars. LeBron James and Stephen Curry are both experienced superstars, who are in the latter stages of their careers. It thus makes sense for the Lakers and Warriors to make a win-now trade that can increase their chances of winning a championship both this season and in the near future.
- Los Angeles Lakers Receive Immediate Help
- The Golden State Warriors Make A Splash For Win-Now Players
- The Utah Jazz Get Valuable Draft Compensation
- This Trade Gives Each Team What They Want
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The Utah Jazz, on the other hand, could end up being one of the teams that look to bottom out. It has already been reported that they are willing to trade anyone on their roster except Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Since they are a rebuilding team, it makes sense for them to move on from some of their players and get some draft compensation and high-potential prospects.
This trade scenario features a 3-team deal with the Lakers, Warriors, and Jazz. The Jazz would get a number of players and draft compensation, while the Lakers and Warriors would get key veterans that could help them compete immediately.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney
Golden State Warriors Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Talen Horton-Tucker
Utah Jazz Receive: Russell Westbrook, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
This trade scenario could potentially be a good move for all three teams. Here is why the Utah Jazz, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Golden State Warriors should make this deal.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive Immediate Help
The Los Angeles Lakers have refused to trade their first-round picks thus far, and it is clear that they are hoping to get a star-level player if they become available. However, perhaps a deal for some key veterans could end up helping them out, even if they are not star-level. In this deal, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton would be the key additions.
Jordan Clarkson has never been selected as an All-Star, but he has definitely been playing at a high level this year. Clarkson is currently averaging 21.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 4.3 APG. Even though he has been a sixth man for a large portion of his career, it is clear that playing as a full-time starter has been no problem for Jordan Clarkson. He would give the Los Angeles Lakers an additional shot creator who can hit a variety of difficult shots, as well as a shooter that can play off LeBron James and Anthony Davis. As of right now, the Los Angeles Lakers need to improve their offense, and Clarkson would definitely help them there.
Collin Sexton has had his role reduced while on the Utah Jazz, but the could definitely produce more when given the opportunity. He profiles as an elite sixth man, but could potentially start at shooting guard if the Lakers prefer to have an offensively slanted starting lineup. He has been an elite shooter this season as well and is 39.5% from beyond the arc as of right now. There is no doubt that he would be a good addition for the team, and it benefits the Lakers that he is on a long-term contract as well.
Kevon Looney is the last piece in this deal. He is an experienced veteran that has won multiple championships with the Warriors, and would likely play a backup role on the Lakers. He has shown an ability to play well in smaller minutes, and Looney is definitely a player that can contribute to a winning team.
Moving both of the team’s first-round picks with Russell Westbrook’s contract is definitely a gamble for the Los Angeles Lakers, but Clarkson playing close to All-Star level basketball and Collin Sexton being on a long-term deal makes the risk more worth it.
With this trade, the Los Angeles Lakers would get an elite offensive backcourt as well as a solid veteran center. Getting two elite scorers would be amazing for the Los Angeles Lakers and take some of the offensive load away from LeBron James. Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Kevon Looney could all be good fits for the Lakers based on their skill sets and would make them a much more dangerous team.
The Golden State Warriors Make A Splash For Win-Now Players
The Golden State Warriors clearly need to make some sort of win-now move that can improve their depth. Their top-end talent is good, but their depth as of right now is their weakness. Many have suggested that the Golden State Warriors should move some young players ahead of the deadline, and this deal has them do just that for immediate improvements.
The Warriors would get two solid young players from the Utah Jazz in this scenario, Jarred Vanderbilt and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Both aren’t star-level, but they are consistent young role players with a small amount of potential upside.
Jarred Vanderbilt has shown that he is a solid multi-positional defender and Vanderbilt profiles as a nice defensive power forward and a solid small-ball center. As of right now, Jarred Vanderbilt is averaging 8.4 PPG, and 8.1 RPG for the Jazz. His athleticism would definitely be helpful for the Warriors, and he would likely get a lot of minutes from the jump. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a solid 3 and D player, currently shooting 39.3% from beyond the arc. He could definitely fill a bench role for them and could play either the SG or SF position.
Talen Horton-Tucker is the last piece for the Warriors here, and he is a solid role player that can provide guard depth. He has been playing solid, but on the Warriors, he would be behind a large number of players in the rotation. Still, trading for him could end up benefitting the Warriors next season. Horton-Tucker will likely pick up his player option as he won’t get more than $11,020,000 on the open market, and he can then be packaged in another deal for the Warriors next season as an expiring contract.
Overall, the Warriors would have to give up Jonathan Kuminga, Kevon Looney, and Moses Moody in this 3-team trade. Kuminga and Moody have potential but have not been able to show their full offensive skillset on the Warriors. Perhaps moving to a rebuilding franchise like the Utah Jazz would be good for them, and would benefit the Warriors by getting them players that can fill roles on the teams immediately.
This deal helps the Golden State Warriors maximize Stephen Curry this season, and add legitimate depth options to the roster without giving up any of their future draft picks. That will obviously give them the flexibility to make more trades in the future. From a basketball standpoint, this trade will help the Warriors do better in the second part of the season, as they would add a combination of shooting, athleticism, and defense to their roster and improve their bench massively.
The Utah Jazz Get Valuable Draft Compensation
If the Utah Jazz are willing to move the majority of their roster, they are clearly not sold on most of their players. Perhaps it is time for them to get high-potential prospects and draft picks while offloading a large number of their players.
Jonathan Kuminga has already managed to show that he is a top-tier defender during his time with the Golden State Warriors, and he has a lot of potential offensively. Getting him would be absolutely crucial for the Utah Jazz, as he is a high-ceiling player that could thrive with the right kind of development. Moses Moody has a lower ceiling, but will still likely be a solid 3 and D player in the right environment. Both players were former lottery prospects, and their talent suggests that it is worth it for the Utah Jazz to take a chance on them.
Russell Westbrook is obviously in this trade for the Utah Jazz because he is on a large expiring contract. If the Utah Jazz were to acquire him in this scenario, he would likely end up getting his contract bought out by the franchise.
The key here obviously is the ability to get the Los Angeles Lakers 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. Those are high-value picks that are almost guaranteed to land in the lottery, as the Lakers clearly won’t be a contending team by that moment in time. Those picks will greatly aid the Utah Jazz in their rebuild, even if they use them to make a future trade rather than picking prospects.
Overall, this deal for the Utah Jazz is simply about getting multiple pieces that can help them become one of the great teams of the future. It is clear that they are not close to winning a championship now, but could become an elite team as they develop their players and pick high-level prospects with their picks.
This Trade Gives Each Team What They Want
This trade could potentially help each team get closer to its goals. For the Utah Jazz, this is about moving a number of their veterans and lower-ceiling young players to get prospects that can develop into elite players in the future, as well as top-tier first-round picks.
For the Lakers and the Warriors, this is about making win-now moves. The Lakers would add some great offensive players to the team, while the Warriors would add some athleticism to their team as well as some shooting and defense for their bench. Overall, both teams should walk away happy in this trade scenario.
It remains to be seen if the three teams come together on a trade proposal with this framework in the future. There’s no doubt that this move is a good option ahead of the trade deadline for all three teams, and we’ll see what ends up happening as we move closer to February 9th.
