Getty Lakers vs. Wizards
The Los Angeles Lakers are considered a landing spot for a $36 million guard and $32 million sharpshooter.
In a December 5 article called “With Anthony Davis in MVP Form, Lakers Should Go All-In This Trade Season,” Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus named Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso and Brooklyn Nets sniper Seth Curry as two players the Lakers could possibly trade for.
“The list of available trade targets isn’t yet clear, as the other 29 teams are currently trying to figure out where they stand,” Pincus wrote. “The trade market starts to heat up after December 15, which is when a majority of recently signed free agents can be traded. The Lakers may need a team or two to quit on the season if they want high-quality players in return, but that may only happen closer to the February 9 trade deadline. Potential targets could include Seth Curry (Nets) and Alex Caruso (Bulls).”
Caruso, who spent the first four years of his career with the Lakers, is averaging 5.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists this season for the Bulls. Curry, meanwhile, is putting up 8.9 points, 2.3 boards and 2.3 dimes per game for the Nets.
How Can the Lakers Get Caruso & Curry?
Caruso is making $9.1 million this season. He signed a four-year, $37 million deal with the Bulls in August 2021. The Texas A&M product helped the Lakers win the 2020 championship over the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble by averaging 6.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in the 2020 Finals.
Curry, the younger brother of Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, is making $8.5 million this season. The Duke product, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season, signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2019. Dallas traded Curry to the Philadelphia 76ers in November 2020 and then the Sixers moved the 32-year-old to the Nets in February 2022 in the blockbuster James Harden-Ben Simmons trade.
The Lakers would need to pull off a three-team trade involving the Bulls and Nets to acquire Caruso and Curry. Under CBA rules, Los Angeles could trade Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn to Chicago and Damian Jones to Brooklyn. The Lakers would get Curry and Caruso and the Nets would receive Coby White (from Chicago) and Jones.
Pincus believes the Lakers could be busy once trade season starts since Anthony Davis is playing at an MVP level and LeBron James is starting to look like himself again. Los Angeles is 8-2 over its last 10 games.
“The Lakers’ goal is to give Davis and James a real opportunity to compete for a title again,” Pincus wrote. “Given the way Davis is playing, the Lakers finally have some hope. That could lead to a busy trade season for them.”
LeBron Never Wanted Caruso to Leave; Curry Would Help Lakers’ 3-Point Shooting
Marc Stein of Substack reported in March 2022 that James never wanted Caruso to leave the Lakers. Los Angeles’ front office low-balled Caruso in free agency, so the Texas native went to Chicago. The purple and gold missed Caruso’s defensive energy last season.
The Lakers need more shooters around Davis and James, which is why Curry would flourish in Los Angeles. He’s shooting 41.3% from beyond the arc this season. Los Angeles is shooting just 33.0% as a team from 3.
The trade market starts to heat up after December 15, which is when a majority of recently signed free agents can be traded. The Lakers would be wise to have their eyes on Curry and Caruso.