Lakers Urged to Acquire $56 Million Combo Guard from Heated Rival

The Los Angeles Lakers have been urged to trade for a $56 million combo shooting guard.

In a January 5 article called “Lakers Trade Targets with 2023 NBA Trade Deadline a Month Away,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley said San Antonio Spurs veteran Josh Richardson is a player the Lakers should try to trade for.

“If the Lakers don’t want to deplete their limited collection of trade assets, Richardson offers a lower-cost alternative,” Buckley wrote. “The 29-year-old is only signed through this season’s end and doesn’t fit the timeline of a San Antonio team rebuilding around…well, probably whomever it plucks from the top of the 2023 draft. It would be in the Spurs’ best interest to deal Richardson for some type of asset before the trade deadline rather than watch him leave for nothing this offseason. Richardson has never approached stardom, but he has settled in as a pesky defender with a reliable outside shot (career 36.4 percent) and some secondary playmaking ability. He could give consistently helpful two-way contributions to a Lakers club that hasn’t gotten nearly enough of them from its role players.”

Richardson is in the final year of his contract. He signed a one-year, $12.2 million extension with the Boston Celtics in August 2021. The 29-year-old, who has played for the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Celtics and Spurs, will have made more than $56 million in his career once this season ends.

In 28 games for the Spurs this season, Richardson is averaging 10.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 42.3% from the field, 35.4% from beyond the arc and 86.4% from the free-throw line. The Spurs are open to moving Richardson since they are prioritizing the development of their young players, league sources told Heavy.com.

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How Can the Lakers Get Josh Richardson?

In a December 1 article called “Los Angeles Lakers Trade Ideas Based on Latest Rumors,” Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale proposed that the Lakers trade Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and two draft picks to the Spurs for Richardson and Jakob Poeltl. That trade works under CBA rules.

“The Lakers won’t value Poeltl anywhere near as much as (Myles) Turner—and correctly so. His offensive fit next to AD isn’t squeaky clean, and he’s unlikely to be part of their go-to closing units. Still, the things he does well will help. Especially when Damian Jones and Thomas Bryant have failed to make an impact,” Favale wrote. “Richardson, meanwhile, is mission-critical wing depth. He can be matched up defensively with everyone from guards to power wings and subsists at the other end on a large amount of catch-and-fire threes, which he’s burying at a 40 percent clip. Traveling this path overall feels half-baked for the Lakers. It allows them to straddle two lines in theory, but it’s a vote of half-confidence in practice. If that’s what they want, then so be it. This trade makes them better, doesn’t entirely bankrupt their first-round-pick stores and preserves their capacity to dredge up $30-plus million in cap space over the summer.”

Richardson has career averages of 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 36.5% on 3-pointers. He has appeared in 30 postseason games with the Heat, Sixers and Mavericks.

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The Lakers Have Targeted Josh Richardson Before

LJ Ellis of SpursTalk reported in November that the Lakers were targeting Richardson and Doug McDermott. McDermott and Richardson would fit well with the Lakers since they can both shoot 3-pointers.

“According to a source, the Los Angeles Lakers have targeted Richardson and McDermott in a trade that would involve Russell Westbrook,” Ellis wrote. “However, talks haven’t gained traction because the Lakers are only willing to relinquish a pair of second-round picks in return for both players.”

The Lakers are 17-21 on the season. They are in 12th place in the Western Conference standings. The NBA trade deadline is February 9.

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