The Los Angeles Lakers are starting to get the world to believe in them again. With the team going 8-2 in their last 10 games, the team has turned around their slow start to the season to put themselves back in the conversation for contending for the playoffs. While the team’s 10-12 record is not flashy, the state of the Western Conference makes it a wide-open race. The Lakers are only 5.0 games back of the Phoenix Suns for the one seed. The Clippers, the team’s No. 6 seed, is 14-11, while the Warriors, the No. 10 seed, are 13-12.
Out of all teams in the Western Conference, the Lakers and Pelicans are the hottest teams, with eight wins in their last 10 games. If this core is starting to play up to their potential, the Lakers could look for the best trade targets to go all in. The Lakers can trade anyone on the roster except LeBron James because of his recent extension. The Lakers have expendable pieces in Patrick Beverley ($13 million), Kendrick Nunn ($5.3 million), Damian Jones ($2.3 million), and Juan Toscano-Anderson($1.8 million). All but Jones own expiring contracts.
The Lakers also have their two future first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2029. The team could also look to ship rookie Max Christie (owed $2.7 million through next season) and have up to $6.4 million in cash to trade. When looking at the two top contracts, the Lakers could trade Beverley and Nunn together ($22.9 million combined) and take back up to $29.4 million in salary if they traded Beverley, Nunn, Toscano-Anderson, Jones, and Christie.
Eric Gordon
With the Rockets continuing to surge toward the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, the team has one piece on the team that could help the team lure future draft capital. The team has two pieces on the team, Jalen Green and Jabari Smith, that are untouchable. In theory, Kevin Porter Jr. is a part of that core, and the addition of future No. 1 pick Wembanyama would help with that. Even if the Rockets don’t trade Gordon, the team, sitting at 7-17, will be in contention for the worst record in the league this season.
The Lakers saw Gordon as a trade target during the summer. While Gordon is not the premier piece on the market, he would be one of the better outside shooters for the Lakers. Gordon shot 41.2% from three-point range last year. This season, Gordon is wearing 12.3 points and shooting 35.2% from three-point range. Gordon is also playing with a different set of personnel. With a core of veterans on the Lakers, he might be able to provide more and see his production rise.
Jordan Clarkson
Clarkson was a Laker once upon a time, but that was during a stretch when the Lakers lost a ton. While the Jazz is playing better, there is no confirmation that the Jazz is not going to sell off some of their prized pieces before the deadline. That includes Clarkson and Mike Conley Jr. The Jazz parted with Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Royce O’Neal during the offseason. The team has no desire to participate in the play-in tournament and get bounced in the first round again. This was all about setting the foundation for the future to create a championship culture.
Clarkson is a clear candidate to be traded by the Jazz. The main issue is the salary of Beverley and Clarkson match up perfectly. It would require one of the team’s first-round picks and the Jazz’s desire to take on the contract. With that said, Clarkson has a player’s option for $14.2 million next season in comparison to the expiring one Beverley. If the Lakers could pull this off, he would be a great addition. Clarkson is averaging career highs in points (19.7) and assists (4.8) while shooting 35.0% from three-point range.
Terry Rozier
The Lakers were interested in Terry Rozier during the summer. When the Jazz was interested in dealing with Donovan Mithcell, the Charlotte Hornets gave a pitch that included sending Rozier to the Lakers and the Hornets getting Mitchell. Instead, Mitchell was sent to the Cavaliers, and the rest is history.
Instead of a blockbuster involving Russell Westbrook, the Lakers could look to send Beverley, Nunn, and a first-round pick for Rozier. With that said, it would likely require more because Rozier has a higher value at this moment. Rozier is averaging a career-high in points (21.2) and assists (5.8). While Rozier’s outside shooting (30.1%) is his worst three-point shooting percentage since 2015-16, it should be noted that he has taken on a new role, given the lack of personnel. The Lakers could swing this trade with what they have, but the Hornets will probably want more.
Nikola Vucevic
The Chicago Bulls were supposed to be a playoff team, but they sit in an awkward position. The fanbase is running out of patience on the return of Lonzo Ball. DeMar DeRozan is playing at a high level, while Vucevic is on an expiring contract. With the Bulls sitting in a similar position as the Lakers, the team could either go all in or look to build around Zach LaVine for the future. LaVine is 27 years old and coming off of knee surgery, so the team could go all in. However, let’s say that the team decides to part with one of their big three and lets go of Vucevic.
The Lakers do not have a true center that can pair with these pieces. While Vucevic is not an All-Star caliber player, he is averaging 15.8 points and 11.0 rebounds, and is shooting 34.6% from three-point range. He would give Davis his spot back at the power forward position where he is thriving, but more importantly, he gives the team a big man that can shoot. Shedding Westbrook’s salary and the team’s draft picks in 2027 and 2029 in this package deal would truly boost the team’s chances of winning at a high level again.
Gordon Hayward
Hayward’s stock is low at the moment. The timetable for Hayward’s return is up in the air for now. The last week of November featured Hayward sustaining a fractured shoulder that resulted in his wife blasting the Hornets for “not protecting their players.” In 11 games, Hayward is averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and is shooting 38.1% from three-point range.
With the Hornets sliding down the conference standings, the team could look to find a way to get rid of Hayward’s salary. That will come down to if the Lakers are willing to absorb the contract of Hayward. The team could deal Westbrook and land both Rozier and Hayward. Hayward’s contract has one guaranteed season left at $31.5 million. That could pose a financial issue, but it would bring back two pieces to build around James and Davis.
Bojan Bogdanovic
Last month, the Pistons agreed to a two-year, $39 million deal with Bogdanovic. The trade to land Bogdanovic was a head-scratcher, as was the extension. The Pistons own a 6-19 record and are one of the worst teams in the league. The team could be positioned to land the No. 1 pick to build around Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Keeping a 33-year-old veteran who is playing well does not seem like something that a rebuilding team would want to do.
Enter the Lakers, who have reported interest in landing Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic is averaging 20.6 points and is shooting 50.8% from the field and 41.9% from three-point range. The Dallas Mavericks are reported as a team with interest. The Pistons could hold out until February to try and maximize the value, but with the way he is playing and the team’s standing, it would be smart to pull the trigger on this deal right now. If the Lakers could pull this off, it would add another stretch scorer to the mix that could also provide some outside shooting that the team desperately needs.
Mike Conley Jr.
To get Conley, the Lakers would need to deal Westbrook and the 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. The Lakers would have to be okay with dealing with both first-round picks. Both parties would come out happy with this trade. The Jazz would get two more first-round picks and have an expiring contract of Westbrook off of the books.
As mentioned, Clarkson is having a great year and could be inserted into the bench. He would likely see his stock grow towards the Sixth Man of the Year candidacy again. Meanwhile, Conley could serve as one of the team’s starting guards. The lineup possibility would have to consider Conley as a shooting guard and moving James to point guard. Either way, Conley is averaging 10.2 points, 7.9 assists, and shooting 38.6% from three-point range. There are a lot of possibilities here to help the team. That is assuming that Conley will be back healthy soon, as he has been dealing with a hamstring injury since November 19th.
D’Angelo Russell
The Timberwolves traded away their future for Rudy Gobert. The pairing of Gobert with Karl-Anthony Towns has not worked well for the team, as the Timberwolves are 11-12 and the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference. Towns sustained a calf injury and are projected to be out for the next four to six weeks. That could force the Timberwolves to decide on the team’s future if the team. Russell is on an expiring contract, so he has value for now and in the future.
The Timberwolves could wash this season and help recoup some of the draft capital they lost in the trade with Gobert. The team could take on his contract with Westbrook and likely pry away the 2027 draft pick from the Lakers. Westbrook could slide into the team’s starting role, while the Lakers could use Russell this season and potentially try to keep him around for a significantly lower price than Westbrook in the future. Russell used to be the Lakers’ starting point guard before he was traded to the Nets. He is averaging 15.0 points and 6.7 assists this season.
DeMar DeRozan
As mentioned, DeRozan is playing at a high level. The addition of DeRozan would make the Lakers a championship contender once again. Not only that, he would give the team a chance next season as well. The California native has one more year on his deal after this season. This trade idea from Bill Simmons proposes the Bulls deal DeRozan and Vucevic for Westbrook, and two first-round draft picks would be an ideal match for everyone.
DeRozan is averaging 25.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists and is shooting 50.2% from the field. DeRozan wouldn’t have to produce that much with the Lakers because he would have help around him. Then again, he could easily average that much because it would allow LeBron James to return to the point guard position. When the Lakers won the title in 2020, James led the league in assists. That is where the team played their best basketball offensively. James, DeRozan, Davis, and Vucevic could be a core good enough to win it all.
Kyrie Irving
There was a time during the offseason that looked like Kyrie Irving was going to be gone. That situation remains unlikely for now, but there is a lot of season left to play. The Brooklyn Nets are 13-12 and are the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. With that said, it’s a matter of two games that could raise the Nets in the standings or watch the team tank near the bottom. If the Nets start to lose more games than win, the Lakers could look to revisit this situation.
This would require the Lakers to trade Westbrook, and their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks to acquire Irving. This trade idea would give the Lakers a true big three on the team. Irving is averaging 24.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. Irving’s outside shooting (32.4%) is down compared to last year’s percentage of 41.8% from outside. A combination of Irving, James, and Davis would probably be good enough to run the table and contend for the 2023 championship.
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