Getty Rob Pelinka & Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite coming off a championship run, the Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly looking to move some players around. Danny Green is a player to keep an eye on. The Lakers handed him a hefty contract last offseason but he struggled on the offensive end during the recent playoff run.
He’s a valuable piece on defense but it looks like Los Angeles could be entertaining the idea of trading him away, according to Ian Bagley of SNY:
Something to keep an eye on: per sources, the Lakers will discuss Danny Green trades with teams that have interest. It’s unclear if the Knicks would consider taking on Green’s deal, but they would have the cap space to absorb it f they decline the options they have on some of their veteran players.
The New York Knicks don’t seem like a likely trade partner for Green. The Lakers could probably find some value on the market for the veteran guard. Just dumping his salary to a bad team doesn’t make a ton of sense. However, there could be teams that show interest.
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Mavericks Among Teams That Could Be Interested in Green
Though he didn’t have a great playoff run, Green should still hold value around the league. He’s been a good NBA player for over a decade and teams haven’t forgotten that. He’s a strong defender who is a really good shooter most of the time. A team like the Dallas Mavericks has shown interest in Green before. They even tried to trade for him at the past deadline. They need some defense and leadership on the young team. He’d be a good fit for them.
There’s also been some chatter of Green potentially going back to the San Antonio Spurs as part of a trade for DeMar DeRozan. He won a championship there and probably wouldn’t hate going back. However, trading DeRozan might signal it’s time for a rebuild in San Antonio. The Spurs might not be all that interested in bringing in the 33-year old.
Will Lakers Stick With Green?
While Green never lost his starting job for the Lakers, it’s clear that they view him as a potential trade piece. His ability as a defender is very valuable to the team and if he can get his shot back, he’d be even more valuable. However, the team might want to bring on a player who can score a little bit more.
Even when he’s been at his best, the most points per game Green has ever averaged in a season is 11.7. It could be beneficial for the Lakers to replace him with a more reliable scorer. Los Angeles won this previous championship with their elite defense. That said, they didn’t have to go up against a healthy Golden State Warriors or Brooklyn Nets team. No matter how good their defense is, those teams are going to put up points. The Lakers shouldn’t take focus away from their defense but they should find a way to put up more points.