Players the Lakers may chase at the NBA trade deadline

Welcome to the latest edition lakers newsletterhere’s how I do my best to navigate what the Lakers front office might be thinking as the trade deadline starts to loom.

what — Seinfeld voice — Is it a deal?

Certain corners of the Lakers’ locker room show a little impatience as the team made it past the halfway point of the season without making any notable roster moves.

Despite their recent five-game win streak and Friday’s win over Memphis, the Lakers are currently bottom of the postseason race with a 21-25 record.

It has led to some thumb fiddling.

In defense of the front office, asking prices across the league have been deemed unreasonably high. The veteran-led teams like the Lakers, Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors have all more or less played in his races and won’t be in his races in the playoffs as we enter January. Final week.

All this means that the options are not great or expensive, at least as of today.

That’s why there’s a healthy dose of pessimism among scouts, executives and agents that big deals could be brokered.

Signs persist that the Lakers won’t trade both available first-round picks — sort of a common sense revelation at this point — unless an All-NBA type player suddenly becomes available. .

One potential deal is the acquisition of former lotto pick Cam Reddish, who has been completely out of the New York Knicks’ rotation for almost two months. The Knicks initially hoped to get back the first-round pick they sent to Atlanta in a trade with him.

The Lakers have two deals that will allow that trade to work — Lonnie Walker IV and Kendrick Nunn.

Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn (right) takes control of the ball during a game against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 19.

(Rick Scutelli/Associated Press)

Despite some discrepancies, Walker is a better scorer and shooter than Reddish and is only a year older. He is rehabbing from tendonitis in his knee and should be back soon.

Nunn would be the more logical choice under contract, but after missing all of last season and struggling through the first chunk of the season, he made progress in January, averaging 48.8% shooting. 11 points, hitting 3 to 37.5%.

Nunn was plus 32 combined in the team’s heartbreaking losses against Dallas, Philadelphia and Sacramento last week. Against Memphis, Nunn was plus three as he scored his 11 points.

Reddish is a better size and fits Tsubasa’s true needs, but there’s no consensus in-house that he’ll be an upgrade.

There is another reason not to sign the deal, which may be the stronger argument for the Lakers. If the Lakers trade nans for Reddish, they can’t trade nans in packages with someone who is much more likely to make the Lakers more of a threat.

This is the biggest problem facing the team, with Lakers decision makers grappling with the idea of ​​”if you do this, you can’t do that later.”

The team has indicated their willingness not to take another long-term contract. The Lakers plan around $30 million in salary-cap space this summer — not enough to fund the biggest deal, but potential like Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Draymond Green. enough to put them into conversation with some of the more typical free agents.

But the Lakers have come out of free agency empty-handed before. Nor do league scouts and executives think the free agency pool is particularly deep.

That’s why some see Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic as an ideal target for the Lakers.

Detroit Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic instructs his teammates during a game against the Orlando Magic on Dec. 28.

(Duane Burleson/Associated Press)

It’s expensive — sources at both conferences say the Pistons were looking for first-round draft picks and young players in trades. But Bogdanovich is 6-foot-7 Deadeye He’s a 3-pointer He’s a shooter and a scorer as well. He’s averaging a career-best 21.3 points, and the Pistons clearly appreciate him.

Bogdanovic is on a two-year deal that would significantly reduce the Lakers’ cap space, but one of the top superstars wants to play for the Lakers and is signing this summer.

This is an option the Lakers have for players currently under contract, and if a team acquires an out-of-contract player, it becomes more complicated due to retention of the salary cap and the impact it has on the Lakers’ ability to overshoot. It will be. Cap to re-sign their own free agency.

Still, there will be competition for Bogdanovic — there’s no team in the league that isn’t looking for a winger who can hit 40% of his 3s in bulk. , are hesitant to take action, and that should be this week.

Decisions are complex, and potential ripples influence decisions to follow. That’s why we act cautiously.

memphis undercard

Shannon Sharp walked off the court after getting into an altercation with Memphis star Ja Morant and others during Friday’s game at Crypto.com Arena.

(Harry Howe/Getty Images)

Friday’s win over Memphis was a wild one, with Dennis Schroeder’s last-second steal and layup and Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke’s botched free throw likely closing out the Lakers’ five-game homestand. brought an unprecedented victory.

The excitement didn’t stop there.

The halftime show was performed by former NFL star-turned-TV personality Shannon Sharpe, Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks, Ja Morant and father Tee Morant.

It was ridiculous — and after the game, Times ace Brad Turner visited the locker room and heard these gems from Brooks, up a notch:

About Sharp’s run-in: “I’m not talking about that. You can ask him. Is he a blogger or what? I don’t really care about all that. Next question.”

Blogger!

Whether Sharp’s exchange was appropriate for fans: “A regular walker like him? No, he shouldn’t have been back in the game. But this is LA.”

Pedestrian!

When asked about it, LeBron James chose his side without hesitation.

“I ride with Shannon 365 days a year, 366 days in a leap year, 24/7,” James said. “So it’s my man. So I always have his back, and he has mine. He sure can talk to the best.”

song of the week

She and him — change is hard

See and Him’s trade deadline anthem from Portland.

For those who missed

Dennis Schroeder as Lakers hero to end Grizzlies’ 11th streak in thriller

Shannon Sharp fights with Ja Morant at Lakers game

Lakers rookie Max Christie says he will learn from late game failure to Kings

Elliott: LeBron James says the Lakers were ‘pretty good’.he knows it’s not enough

LeBron James and Lakers lose close quarters again as second half mistakes cost Kings

Lakers star LeBron James once again proves he can ignore time

Rockets’ LeBron James ends Lakers’ losing streak with season-high 48 points

LeBron James passed 38,000 career points in the Lakers’ loss to the 76ers.

Lakers optimistic as Anthony Davis and other injured players work toward return

Elliott: LeBron James doing his best to show restraint as frustrating Lakers season continues

Lakers fail to close out Mavericks in physical game, fall into double OT