Getty Dillon Brooks with Ja Morant.
The Los Angeles Lakers capped off a poor preseason with another loss on Thursday to the Sacramento Kings. The team finishes the preseason with an 0-6 record. It’s a long season and the Lakers have many news pieces so they deserve time to figure things out.
There are some concerns with the current roster, especially on the defensive side of the court. Anthony Davis and LeBron James are still very good defenders but can only do so much on their own. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report believes the Lakers should trade Talen Horton-Tucker, Trevor Ariza and two 2023 second-round picks for Memphis Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks:
Horton-Tucker, who won’t turn 21 until late November, might be a half-decade away from playing the best basketball of his career. The Lakers don’t have that kind of time, so they could package him with a couple of second-round picks (plus Trevor Ariza as salary-filler) to pry Dillon Brooks away from the Grizzlies.
Brooks would immediately address L.A.’s lack of defensive stoppers. Memphis tasked him with the NBA’s third-highest matchup difficulty last season, per BBall Index, and he’d likely handle the same role for the Lakers. His presence would give some certainty to the Lakers’ starting and closing groups, as his defense and shooting should both complement L.A.’s stars.
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Brooks Would Be Solid Addition
Brooks is a solid player. He’s just 25-years-old and has started 214 games. As Buckley noted, Brooks is a strong defender, which could help the Lakers. The team moved on from their three best wing defenders this offseason in Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Dennis Schroder. They did not replace them with as strong of defenders.
In addition to being a good defensive player, Brooks can also score. He averaged 17.2 points a game last season and 16.2 a game the season before. His 3-point shooting leaves a bit to be desired as he’s only hitting 35.3% on shots from beyond the arc in his career. That said, the Lakers wouldn’t need him to score much as they have plenty of offense. Being a solid wing defender would be enough for a team with championship aspirations.
Lakers Won’t Trade THT Yet
Brooks would be a nice addition for the Lakers but what Buckley is proposing would be a steep price to pay. Los Angeles has shown in the past that they have no desire to trade Talen Horton-Tucker. They just signed him to a three-year contract and are hoping he develops into a star.
In addition to trading Horton-Tucker, the team would have to send Memphis Ariza and two picks. General manager Rob Pelinka isn’t going to give up all of that for a defensive specialist. Plus, Ariza is a solid defender and Horton-Tucker could take a leap on that side of the court this season. Perhaps the Lakers may look at a Horton-Tucker trade later in the season but they want to further see what they have in him before they make a move.
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