Teams accumulating as many superstar players as possible has become common in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers tried to form the league’s latest big three when they went after Kawhi Leonard this last offseason. That didn’t end up happening, but that might not stop the team from trying again.
With LeBron James only having so many years of dominance left, the Lakers are going to do what they can to take advantage of the time they have with him. Despite not having a ton of assets, the team could try and swing a big trade for Indiana Pacers All-Star Victor Oladipo. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report outlined how they could pull it off:
The Lakers should keep close tabs on the proceedings, since Oladipo would be a perfect complement for LeBron James and Anthony Davis. A healthy Oladipo is an elite athlete with few holes in his game. During his 2017-18 breakout, he became just the 14th player ever to average 23 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals per game.
If L.A. learns in this postseason it’s one piece short of a title, the reward of landing Oladipo far outweighs whatever risk there is of his walking in 2021. Even if he has other options, it’s hard to think of many better situations than chasing a title with the King and the Brow in Hollywood.
In the proposed trade, the Lakers would receive Oladipo and the Pacers would get Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, Talen Horton-Tucker and a 2020 first-round pick.
Analyst Explains Trade
This will be a big postseason for the Lakers. If they win a championship, they might actually try to keep the band together and only make small changes. However, if they don’t win it all, they need Kuzma to have some big games. His trade value has diminished a lot this season and would be hurt a lot by a poor playoff showing.
Convincing the Pacers to let go of their best player won’t be easy, but Buckley doesn’t think they have a lot of leverage:
Between Oladipo’s injuries and contract uncertainty, Indiana could encounter a more tepid market than his pedigree would suggest. This might scratch enough itches for the Pacers to accept.
Kuzma is the crown jewel as a 24-year-old who has already displayed a powerful scoring punch. His game could be a snug fit alongside either Myles Turner or Domantas Sabonis, allowing Indy to trade the other to balance the roster. Green’s three-and-D game fits with anyone, so the Pacers can keep him to compete next season or see what the market would offer for him and his expiring $15.4 million contract ahead of 2021 free agency.
The Lakers have been open to trading Kuzma and Green in the past and probably wouldn’t hesitate to make the proposed trade. It’s doubtful this is a trade the Pacers would make during the offseason, but if the season goes on and it’s seeming likely that Oladipo won’t re-sign, it’s possible a pre-trade deadline trade happens.
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Oladipo’s Injury History Is Concerning
While Oladipo would be a perfect fit with the Lakers and is exactly what they need, he’s not a perfect prospect. The last two seasons have been marred with injuries and he’s sitting out of the NBA reboot because of his health. He’s only 28 and seems to be getting better and better as he gets older. That said, the Lakers will need to be comfortable with his health.
Trading away Green and Kuzma to only have Oladipo miss the playoffs due to injury could be a disaster.
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