JJ Redick spoke to the press after the Los Angeles Lakers‘ monumental 117-96 win over their rivals, the Boston Celtics. Redick hinted his hope was that the Lakers’ front office, whom he didn’t mention directly, presumably for political reasons, were watching their performance and saw that this is a team that is worth investing in and improving with some moves.
“Hopefully, there’s some belief reinforced here about what we can be.”
During the same press conference, Redick also seemed to give his higher-ups some credit, pointing out just how difficult it is to get trade deals done. He praised Pelinka and the front office for pulling off the trade for Dorian Finney-Smith last month.
“I got the job six months ago. I followed this team since I retired… We want to win. It’s a challenging environment to just go out and make trades. I feel very fortunate that we were able to execute and get someone like Dorian Finney-Smith on our team. We will continue to look over the next couple of weeks.”
There seems to be a renewed sense of optimism among Lakers fans about their team’s chances at competing for an NBA championship. But LeBron James was quick to point out that one win over the Celtics, who are the reigning champions doesn’t mean anything. Things need to improve for the Lakers before any talks of contention can begin.
Redick is far from the only member of the Lakers organization to publically put pressure on Pelinka and the front office. Anthony Davis himself spoke in an interview pleading with the Lakers to trade for a center, and then even doubled down on his comments after the win against the Celtics.
LeBron James has sent his own subtle message to Pelinka. Shams Charania reported that both James and Davis believe that the Lakers are just a couple of moves away from being legitimate title contenders.
The Lakers Must Act Quick
Time is of the absolute essence for the Lakers. If they want to make any moves ahead of the trade deadline, now is the time for them to act. With a little under two weeks to go till the trade deadline, the Lakers must act with urgency, and start making some calls to ensure that they can get things going.
One of the most prominent trade targets for the Lakers has been Walker Kessler. Kessler, who currently plays for the Utah Jazz, is the perfect rim-protecting center for the Lakers. However, the Jazz have set a very high price for him, and it is unlikely that the Pelinka agrees to give them what they want.
Where else could the Lakers look for a trade? Well, we suggested a move with the Portland Trail Blazers that helps them secure three key players, including a point guard to handle the ball along with LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
Or, the Lakers could do something risky and get themselves involved with the Jimmy Butler trade, acting as a third team and securing a veteran point guard who is a proficient scorer.
Whatever they decide to do, it must be quick, and it must be a good enough move to make them competitive when it comes to the championship picture.
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