The Los Angeles Lakers tried and failed to trade Dalton Knecht and a second-round pick to the Milwaukee Bucks for backup center Jericho Sims, but the deal fell through. But while that package wasn’t enough, amid the rumors about his uncertain future and the Lakers’ remaining interest in Sims as a top trade target, perhaps young guard Bronny James could move the needle enough for a deal to get done.
While the Lakers have seen a hot start to the season, the team is still in need of a backup center. That’s been made clear over the past few weeks, as Kevon Looney hasn’t been the answer for the minutes when starting big man Walker Kessler is on the bench.
According to several recent reports, Los Angeles is still interested in going after Sims, and though Knecht wasn’t enough to get a deal done, there is a chance James, who remains at the end of the Lakers’ bench, could be the missing piece for the Purple and Gold to land the long-term center target who was previously out of reach.
Lakers Bronny James Trade Could Land Backup Center After Failed Dalton Knecht Deal
As reported by NBA insider Jake Fischer, a package of Knecht and a second-round pick wasn’t enough to get Sims from the Bucks. The Lakers denied a deal that would have included two picks before waiving Knecht ahead of the season.
However, as CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn wrote, there’s a good chance James has higher value than Knecht, despite the fact that he has played just 12 minutes this season and scored only four points.
“If I were the Lakers, I’d be trying to trade Bronny right now to some owner who wants to sell some jerseys. I’d rather keep Knecht on the books as possible trade salary than cut him and deal with dead money. The Lakers don’t really need the James brand like other teams do,” he wrote in a post on X right after the team cut ties with Knecht.
With that, a Lakers trade idea for Sims could look something like this:
Los Angeles Lakers receive: Jericho Sims
Milwaukee Bucks receive: Bronny James and a 2031 second-round pick
Now, there are two possibilities in which the Lakers could land Sims for a James-led trade package. One is the previous idea, in which the Bucks see LeBron James‘ son as having higher value than Knecht, as mentioned by Quinn.
The other is that Los Angeles does throw in the extra second-round pick along with James for the new backup center. The team would likely only do this if head coach JJ Redick, general manager Rob Pelinka, and the rest of the decision-makers feel a bit more desperate to make a move. There are other trade targets available, but likely not one the Lakers were so close to getting, especially if they could swap James, who doesn’t play, for Sims, someone who would get minutes on a nightly basis.
It comes down to how desperate the Lakers are for a backup center. Moving James would be easy, but giving up minor, yet crucial draft assets would be a bit tougher. Still, as Quinn mentioned, if Knecht didn’t move the needle for a team like Milwaukee, perhaps James could.
Jericho Sims Still Named Top Trade Target For Los Angeles
While Sims might not be a name many NBA fans have heard of, he has averages of just 0.3 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in 7.7 minutes per game so far this year.
However, the 6’10” center for the Bucks is very athletic, has a ton of defensive upside, and is making only $2.8 million this season. As has been mentioned in the past, Sims is the exact archetype of a player that suits the mold that fits well with Luka Doncic (see Dereck Lively, Daniel Gafford, Jaxson Hayes, now Kessler), which is why he’s been named a top Lakers trade target for the past few months.
Most recently, it was Fischer who updated his reporting on the Lakers’ interest in Sims.
“Jericho Sims is clearly someone the Lakers have liked, and that type of archetype, that type of bouncy rim runner who Luka [Doncic] obviously has enjoyed great success with dating back to Dallas, on a minimum salary deal is the easy, obvious, highlight letter A, No. 1 option for them,” Fischer said. “But I think those kinds of players are also who the Lakers will be looking at.”
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Along with him, The Athletic‘s Dan Woike named Sims a Lakers’ trade target over the summer, as even back then it was clear the team needed another backup big man.
“Sims fits the run-and-jump archetype that you’d love to put around Dončić because he’s big and a tremendous athlete. He’s currently slated as the Bucks’ No. 3 center behind Myles Turner and Kel’el Ware,” he wrote. “Scouts have defensive concerns away from the basket, and Sims has never really been able to produce consistently. But he’s a dunker and rebounder whom the Lakers could use second-round draft capital to try and pry loose.”
The links, mainly due to the previously failed trade, between Sims and the Lakers have continued over the past few weeks. He’s exactly what the team has been looking for, and while trading for him might not shift the title race or the team’s overall ceiling, Sims would fill the biggest hole in Los Angeles’ lineup and give Redick a bit more assurance things won’t go terribly when Kessler is on the bench.
As Fischer reported, the Lakers were so close to getting a Sims trade done before the season, but pulled out after being unwilling to give up two second-rounders and Knecht for the 28-year-old. But now, if Los Angeles is more desperate, or even just still willing to give it another shot, James could be included in a trade to finally get the Lakers a backup center they’ve been looking for over the past few months.
He might not be the best name available, but he’s likely the cheapest and easiest to land, so if or when the Lakers decide to revisit trade talks with the Bucks, it might be smart to throw James’ name in the mix and see what happens.
Lakers Bronny James Trade Idea Lands Top Target After Failed Dalton Knecht Deal