After seeing several key players leave the team this summer, the Los Angeles Lakers were bound to be active in the offseason. Now, a month into free agency, having made some terrific signings and acquisitions, the Lakers look like a formidable unit. Still, one could argue that the team could benefit from some fine-tuning.
The Lakers’ most noteworthy addition this offseason has been Walker Kessler. With an elite big man anchoring the team’s interior, the Purple and Gold addressed one of their biggest roster concerns. Along with Kessler, L.A. also added Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney to round out their big man rotation. However, rumors suggest that the team still needs to add a backup big man.
To that point, several potential targets have been identified, including the Charlotte Hornets’ Moussa Diabate. Although the list mentions some promising candidates, NBA insider Jake Weinbach mentioned another who could be an equally impactful addition. He noted:
“If the Lakers discuss the possibility of acquiring Jalen Smith, a trade package would likely include Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, and second-round draft compensation. Smith is reportedly a trade target for the Lakers, but it’s unclear if the Bulls are willing to move the 26-year-old big man.”
While there is no confirmation on his availability in trade talks, Chicago Bulls center Jalen Smith is certainly an intriguing prospect for the Los Angeles Lakers this summer. As an athletic center with floor-spacing upside, the 26-year-old possesses the skill set to be an ideal fit in the Purple and Gold’s rotation.
With the Lakers looking to offload Dalton Knecht, a trade to acquire a solid backup big man seems like a worthwhile endeavor. But is such a package truly feasible?
Should The Lakers Pursue Such A Trade?
Financially, acquiring Jalen Smith is quite feasible for the Los Angeles Lakers. Given that the center is in the final year of his contract and is due to have a cap hit of $9.4 million, the Purple and Gold could easily package Jake LaRavia‘s $6 million contract with Dalton Knecht’s $4.2 million deal to match salaries. With an excess of $800,000 in outgoing salaries, the Lakers would also find their overall payroll being reduced to $206.4 million.
Although the fiscal side of the deal makes sense, other factors could prevent this trade from going through. One such reason is the benefit for the Bulls.
As mentioned earlier, the Lakers’ interest in Jalen Smith is perfectly understandable. As an active rim-runner and floor-spacing big man, Smith is more than capable of playing alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Given that he averaged 10.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game last season on 48.3% shooting from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc, the 26-year-old is also an impressive contributor off the bench.
While this is impressive, these figures and impact may be the very reason why the Bulls may not see value in completing this trade.
Last season, Jake LaRavia averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game on 45.9% shooting from the field and 32.1% from three-point range. Meanwhile, Dalton Knecht posted 4.2 points and 1.4 rebounds per game on 45.5% shooting from the field and 34.2% from distance.
Although these look like solid figures for rotation pieces, the eye test was not as convincing. Additionally, given how Knecht has seemingly regressed with time, Chicago’s interest in absorbing his contract may be low.
To that point, Weinbach’s inclusion of draft compensation in the form of second-round picks could help in sweetening the deal for the Bulls. Given that the Bulls already have a solid big man rotation featuring Nic Claxton and Zach Collins in place, the team may even be tempted to engage in trade talks. Still, it is difficult to see why Chicago would need either LaRavia or Knecht, especially when they already have some promising wings on the roster.
Thus, even though there appears to be merit in pursuing a player like Jalen Smith, it is unlikely the Lakers will succeed in pulling off such a trade if the package includes Knecht.
Alternatively, L.A.’s chances may improve if they opt to include Adou Thiero. But with the draft capital then becoming a point of contention, it is more likely that talks would stall until one side decides to budge.
