The 2021-22 NBA season will go down in history as one of the most disappointing campaigns in the Los Angeles Lakers history. Nothing has gone according to plan for the Purple and Gold, who have not even made the postseason.
Such a poor season inevitably raises a lot of concern and we already started to see its consequences. Frank Vogel was fired and, if were for the front office, many players should follow in his footsteps as well. The problem is, the Lakers are not in a strong spot for potential trades.
The future of Russell Westbrook, for instance, is completely uncertain. While the logical thing would be for them to part ways and move on, his contract doesn't make it that simple. However, the Lakers may have another option in mind to get something in return this summer.
Lakers Rumors: 2 players who could be traded apart from Westbrook
Although the outlook is not encouraging ahead of the offseason, the Lakers could prepare a package of two young players and draft picks hoping to rebuild their roster for next year.
According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Lakers could include Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn in a trade package along with first-round picks this offseason. "When you look at their roster outside of LeBron and Davis, that’s the only way for them to try to improve the team," Scotto wrote.
Yossi Gozlan, however, claimed that the Lakers would first prefer to trade Westbrook without including draft picks and get role players in return, and then package Horton-Tucker and Nunn in another deal.
It may not be the ideal scenario for the Lakers, but it's the best they can think of without moving on James or Davis. While Nunn missed the entire season after signing a two-year, $10 million contract in LA, Horton-Tucker showed glimpses of his talent in what has been a tough season for everyone in the roster. Both are still young, so maybe they can bring something in return.
