Getty LeBron James & Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Los Angeles Lakers have their eyes on the title this season but if they fall short, some big changes could happen as a result. Due to the lack of star power on the free-agent market this year, the team would have to try and pull off a trade if they wanted to improve significantly. While they don’t have a ton of good assets, they could at least reshuffle their roster in an effort to stay in title contention next season.
The biggest problem facing the Lakers is that they aren’t very good when LeBron James is off the court. Even when Anthony Davis plays while James is on the bench, they struggle. According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, Los Angeles could look to the Milwaukee Bucks for a potential trade:
Four of the top 10 from B/R’s top 100 are from the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. There’s a trade between the two teams that could help all four players.
Per Bailey, the trade would involve the Bucks sending Eric Bledsoe and Wesley Matthews to the Lakers for Danny Green, Alex Caruso and a 2020 first-round pick.
How This Trade Could Benefit Both Teams
Out of the group of potential players trade, Bledsoe is the most effective. However, the Bucks would also get some solid players in return. Green is a seasoned veteran who is a good defender and has championship experience. Caruso has become a fan favorite because of some exciting dunks and is capable on the defensive end.
Bledsoe has been very effective when Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has been off the court. There’s no reason he wouldn’t be able to still be effective on a team with LeBron James. Matthews is probably a downgrade from Green, but Bledsoe’s impact could make it worth it. Now, there’s a really good shot that either of these teams wins the championship this year. If that’s the case, whoever wins probably wouldn’t want to switch things up too much. Some big changes for the NBA’s most prominent teams could happen depending on who wins the title.
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Should Lakers Be Trying to Add 3rd Star or Depth?
Though Bledsoe is a good player, he’s not the kind of star the Lakers have been going after. Based on their pursuit of Kawhi Leonard, it’s clear the team wants a third star to pair with Davis and James. However, that’s easier said than done. The Lakers don’t have a ton of great tradeable assets that could attract other teams.
Bradley Beal has been a named that’s mentioned in Lakers trade talk before. He’d be a perfect fit for the team, but it’s hard to imagine the team could put together a worthwhile trade package for the Washington Wizards. What the Lakers did this season appears to be working. They put a bunch of seasoned veterans around their two stars and sprinkled in a couple of promising young players. Whether or not the team wins the championship, they might be better off focusing on building around Davis and James than they would be trying to add a third star.
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Analyst Suggests Lakers Make Blockbuster Trade With Bucks