Getty Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka.
As the trade deadline nears, it’s becoming clear that the Los Angeles Lakers may not be as active as previously thought. The team lacks appealing assets and Russell Westbrook’s contract makes him close to unmovable. Unfortunately, there’s no blockbuster trade that is feasible for the team right now.
However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a trade out there that could help them out a bit. According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Lakers would like to unload veteran guard Kent Bazemore. There’s also been chatter about them wanting to move on from center DeAndre Jordan. The Lakers want additional roster flexibility for the eventual buyout market that should heat up after the trade deadline.
If the team hopes to get off both veterans, they need to give up a valuable asset. The Lakers should consider trading Jordan, Bazemore and Talen Horton-Tucker to the Portland Trail Blazers for veteran forward Robert Covington. The salaries would match and the Lakers would open up two roster spots in the process. Covington isn’t much of an asset as he’s only averaging 7.6 points a game on 34.3% shooting from three, but he’s on an expiring contract and can still defend from the wing.
ALL the latest Los Angeles Lakers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lakers newsletter here!
Horton-Tucker Is Losing Value
Having to use Horton-Tucker just to unload the contracts of two veterans in a trade just a year ago would’ve been thought of as a joke. The young guard was once considered a strong asset, which is why the team re-signed him in the offseason. Unfortunately, he’s having a wildly disappointing season.
Horton-Tucker is only averaging 9.7 points a game on an abysmal 25.2% from three. According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, teams around the NBA aren’t that high on the guard anymore.
“Now that the Lakers are looking to improve their roster ahead of the trade deadline, Horton-Tucker is viewed by other teams as a marginal asset,” Pincus wrote. “He’s still a developing prospect, but he’s about $7.7 million more expensive this season than his contemporaries. But the bigger issue for the Lakers, above his salary, is the 21-year-old guard’s player option before the 2023-24 season.”
Horton-Tucker still has potential but the Lakers may have made a bad bet by holding onto him instead of trading for Kyle Lowry last season.
Not Much Lakers Can Do
When the Lakers sold the farm to trade for Westbrook, they were putting all their chips in the middle of the table. In hindsight, that was a disastrous decision. The Lakers may have to give up a first-round pick just to convince a team to take Westbrook off their hands.
Barring Anthony Davis and LeBron James going supernova in the playoffs, it’s hard to take Los Angeles as serious title contenders. They need a roster overhaul to compete with the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors but there’s no blockbuster trade to be had. The Lakers just have to hope that LeBron and Davis can return to bubble form and carry the team over the finish line.
READ NEXT: Ex-Player Believes Lakers Star ‘Might Need to Leave L.A.’