If you were to ask Los Angeles Lakers fansabout their trade targets, chances are they’ll tell you something quite delusional like Ben Simmons, Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard, and Domantas Sabonis.
But even if the Lakers had the salary cap to pull off any of those deals, the hard truth is that they lack the draft assets or young players to convince any other team of giving them a helping hand.
Outside of Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, Austin Reeves, and a 2027 first-rounder, they have nothing. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the only three players that LeBron James and company could actually get ahead of the trade deadline.
NBA Rumors: 3 Realistic Trade Targets For The Lakers
3. Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon- Getty Images
Eric Gordon is no teenager but he’s been playing as good as always for the Houston Rockets. He would love to have the chance to play meaningful basketball in a championship contender again.
The Lakers could use another shot-creator who can also stretch the floor with his sharpshooting skills. Gordon could slide right into their starting lineup and he already knows what it’s like to play next to Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook.
2. Harrison Barnes
Harrison Barnes- Getty Images
It’s been a while since Harrison Barnes was on a winning team. The Sacramento Kings are freefalling once again and most insiders expect them to go through a bit of a panic sale ahead of the deadline.
Barnes, while not a superstar, can shoot the ball efficiently from all three levels. He’s long, athletic, and a better defender people give him credit for. Also, he’s a team-first guy who doesn’t need that many shots.
1. Buddy Hield
Buddy Hield – Getty Images
Once again, with the Sacramento Kings going through a panic sale, it seems like neither of their players isoff-limits. That means the Lakers should do whatever it takes to land Buddy Hield once and for all.
Hield was reportedly the Lakers’ primary target in the offseason before Anthony Davis and LeBron James told the team to trade for Russell Westbrook instead. Needless to say, that didn’t exactly work out the way they intended.
