The Los Angeles Lakers are showing interest in possibly trading for a big-time scorer.
According to a report from Ian Begley of SNY, the Lakers are monitoring the trade market for Marcus Morris, who currently leads the New York Knicks with 19.1 points per game.
Not only are the Lakers expected to show interest in Morris, the Los Angeles Clippers are also expected to be in the running. The Philadelphia 76ers are another contender keeping an eye on the veteran forward.
Morris Wants to Remain With Knicks
The fact that Morris has been playing at such a high level combined with the fact that he’s on an expiring deal makes him a hot commodity for contending teams. That’s not even including the fact that Morris has prior experience playing deep into the postseason, having done so as a member of the Boston Celtics during the previous two seasons.
The 30-year-old Morris is averaging 19.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game on 43.8 percent from the field, a scorching 46.9 percent from beyond the arc and 83.0 from the free-throw line. His points per game are easily a career-high as is his 3-point shooting percentage.
However, despite the clear interest from other contending NBA teams, Morris wants to remain with the 10-26 Knicks — to help the young kids continue to grow.
“You just asked me that last game,” Morris said after the Clips game Sunday. “That isn’t going to change. I love our team. I love our future. I just want to be a part of helping these young guys grow into the great players they’re going to be.”
Morris is coming off of a career-high 38 points in a loss to the Clippers over the weekend.
Kings Trying to Trade for Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma?
In other trade news, the Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma is quickly becoming one of the hottest names on the trade market. There have been rumblings that the Lakers could move Kuzma — their most valuable trade piece — in an effort to bolster their personnel for a run at the championship this season.
According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, the Sacramento Kings are reportedly interested in Kuzma. They’re dangling Bogdan Bogdanovic in a potential deal for Kuzma.
Sacramento is among the teams that has tried to engage the Lakers in Kyle Kuzma trade talks, league sources say. The Kings know they would have to include sharpshooter (and soon-to-be restricted free agent) Bogdan Bogdanovic, for starters, in a Kuzma deal
The Lakers would likely also have to include the injured DeMarcus Cousins in this possible trade to make it work for salary purposes.
The 27-year-old Bogdanovic is averaging 14.5 points per game on 42.6 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc as a bench scorer. Bogdanovic has played in 30 games this season, coming off of the bench in every single one of his appearances.
The Lakers obviously want a lot in return for Kuzma, who currently ranks third on the team in scoring with 11.8 points per game.
It should be interesting to see what transpires leading into the NBA trade deadline which is on Feb. 6.
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Lakers Showing Interest in Trading For Knicks’ Leading Scorer