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The Los Angeles Lakers‘ options on the trade market are becoming increasingly limited as the offseason goes on. It’s unlikely the team has a huge move brewing behind the scenes but there are still smaller moves they can make to improve the team.
The Lakers could use a 3-and-D forward and they could look to the Brooklyn Nets to find one, according to Zack Buckley of Bleacher Report.
“Three-and-D forward Dorian Finney-Smith perhaps tops that list,” Buckley wrote in a July 11 column. “And he just so happens to fill several areas of need for the Lakers.
“They’ve struggled to field enough lineups with two-way players in recent years, but Finney-Smith has the kind of game to change that. His defensive versatility makes him effectively an all-purpose stopper, and his three-balls have found their mark at a 37.1 percent clip over the previous five campaigns.”
Buckley pitched a trade that would send a protected future first-round pick and Jalen-Hood Schifino to the Nets for Finney-Smith. Considering Schifino didn’t do much during his rookie season, the Lakers likely wouldn’t be opposed to trading him for a veteran. Giving up an unprotected first-round pick might be too much for a 31-year-old forward.
Dorian Finney-Smith Doesn’t Move the Needle
Finney-Smith would be an upgrade over Schifino but he’s not a huge needle mover. Last season, he made just 34.8% of his 3-point shots and averaged 8.5 points a game. Though Buckley called Finney-Smith a 3-and-D forward, he’s never made 40% of his threes in a season.
He is a solid defensive player but the Lakers already have a great wing defender who can’t shoot in Jarred Vanderbilt. Finney-Smith doesn’t bring enough of an impact to warrant giving up an unprotected first-round pick. Those assets should be saved for impact players.
Gary Trent Jr. Would Be Better Fit
If the Lakers want a 3-and-D forward, Gary Trent Jr. may be the best player for the team to target. He’s only 25 so he’s a player who could be with the team for a long time and there’s room for growth. He’s also made 38.6% of his threes in his career and averages 14.3 points a game.
In a separate column, Buckley made the case for the Lakers to add Trent.
“This past season, L.A. averaged just 11.8 three-point makes on 31.4 attempts,” Buckley wrote in a July 10 column. “The champion Boston Celtics, for reference, averaged 16.5 on 42.5. Even stars who shine as bright as LeBron James and Anthony Davis will have trouble overcoming numbers like that. … Adding Trent would go a long way toward making the math work. He should be a no-brainer target if market conditions mean the math would wind up working on a bargain contract with the Lakers.”
Trent is a free agent but the Lakers don’t have room to sign players. They would still have to make a trade to add the forward. Trent might be a player who would be worth giving up a first-round pick. He’s young and productive while also being a good shooter. He’d immediately be put in the starting rotation and could be the Lakers’ third or fourth-best player. He’s not a huge star but he’d help the Lakers quite a bit.
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