The Los Angeles Lakers had plenty of work to do in the offseason. However, once again, GM Rob Pelinka failed to land the kind of personnel needed around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Even so, first-time coach Darvin Ham has made some nice strides with this team. Their defense has gotten better, and it seems like their offense is finally starting to click with Russell Westbrook coming off the bench.
So, this recent surge has suddenly turned the Lakers into potential buyers ahead of the trade deadline. With that in mind, it seems like they've already set their sights on three sharp-shooting veterans.
NBA News: Lakers Have Three Veteran Trade Targets
(via Shams Charania - The Athletic)
"So far, team executives across the NBA say there have been increased discussions and several check-ins regarding rival personnel. The league’s parity — most teams vying for postseason and Play-In Tournament berths — means the true buyers and sellers will take time to reveal themselves before the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
Following a 2-10 start, the Los Angeles Lakers, now 11-15 and three games out of sixth place, have turned their season around and are seen as a key team in the trade market this season. The Lakers are prioritizing shooting in their conversations with teams, and have discussed packages including salaries and a protected first-round pick for Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic, league sources, who were granted anonymity so that they could speak freely, tell The Athletic. They’ve also discussed concepts involving New York’s Cam Reddish and Evan Fournier, sources said. With Anthony Davis having an MVP-caliber season and LeBron James turning in another strong campaign, it will be fascinating to monitor how these Lakers approach Feb. 9."
The Lakers are still a long shot at making the playoffs, all things considered. But all they need is to get hot at the right time, and surrounding James with shooters is a proven formula in this league.
