Getty Images RJ Barrett (right) and Cam Reddish of the New York Knicks.
The Los Angeles Lakers may have finally found a trade deadline dance partner, with the team gaining traction on a deal for former first-round picks Cam Reddish and Alec Burks of the New York Knicks.
Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the news of a three-way deal gaining momentum involving the Lakers, Raptors and Knicks early Thursday with the 3 p.m. ET trade deadline looming.
The Lakers would get Burks and Reddish in the deal while sending Talen Horton-Tucker to Toronto. Knicks center Nerlens Noel would join THT north of the border, while the Knicks would get Goran Dragic and draft picks.
Scotto mentioned that injured Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn could get involved in the deal, with his $5 million salary being an important part of making the money work. Nunn has not played in a game this season due to a bone bruise on his knee.
Sources: The Lakers, Knicks and Raptors have discussed a 3-team trade.
Lakers get Cam Reddish and Alec Burks.
Knicks get Goran Dragic and draft picks.
Raptors get Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel.
There’s also a chance Kendrick Nunn is added to the trade as talks continue
Lakers Have Previously Been Linked to Reddish
The deal would land the Lakers a young prospect with upside in Reddish and a key contributor in Burks. It may not be a blockbuster move that gets the Lakers back on track to title contention, but it could certainly help round out the roster and provide them with some shooting.
The Knicks traded for Reddish earlier this season but failed to make him a part of the rotation. He’s played almost exclusively garbage time in New York. Reddish was the No. 10 pick of the 2019 draft by the Hawks and asked for a trade to find a situation where he could play more minutes. That hasn’t worked out well for him in New York. He’s averaged just 10 minutes and four points per game with the Knicks.
The interest in Reddish — a Klutch client — isn’t new for the Lakers. LA offered a pair of second-round picks to the Hawks when Reddish was available earlier this season, per The Athletic.
Burks could make an immediate impact with the Lakers, either sliding into the team’s forever-evolving starting lineup or by providing some scoring with the second unit. The 30-year-old is averaging 26.8 minutes per game with the Knicks, putting away 11.1 points per game. He’s shot at a 38.8% clip from beyond the arc and averages better than a steal per game.
The Lakers have seemingly been offering Horton-Tucker to just about everyone in trade talks, looking to flip the 21-year-old who they signed to an extension this offseason. Horton-Tucker has taken a step back this season after showing some significant upside last season (so much so that the Lakers refused to deal him for Kyle Lowry).
Lakers in a ‘Fog’ Ahead of Trade Deadline
The Lakers’ situation went from bad to worse on Wednesday after a 107-105 loss to the lowly Blazers — a team fresh off trading away some of their key players.
“Obviously, this is something that’s weighing on this group that we’re all trying to get through,” LeBron James told reporters after the game. “Almost feels like it’s a fog, just fog in the air. And we’re all trying to see what’s on the other side of it.”
It’s obvious the Lakers need a shakeup at 26-30, which could include trading Russell Westbrook, who the team traded for this offseason. The former MVP has not been a fit with the Lakers but his massive contract — $44 million this season and $47 million next year on a player option — has made it extremely tough to find a solution. Westbrook is averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists this season.