The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for a backup center to play behind Walker Kessler, and according to recent trade rumors, Jalen Smith of the Chicago Bulls has been mentioned as a name the team is interested in adding ahead of the deadline.
Smith has been playing well with the Bulls to start the season, but has been deemed a potential trade candidate, considering many teams across the league are looking for more frontcourt depth, including the Lakers.
Los Angeles doesn’t have a ton of top-tier trade assets to send back to Chicago, but in a new trade pitch, the center is in the final season of a three-year, $27 million contract to make him the Lakers’ next backup center and a solid option to play alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and the rest of the team’s supporting cast.
Lakers Jalen Smith Trade Pitch From ESPN
In a recent grouping of three Lakers trade ideas from ESPN, one saw the Purple and Gold add Smith for a price the front office would likely be willing to give up. While Los Angeles has been linked to other potential backup centers in recent rumors, Smith might have the highest upside of all of them, and would arrive on a cheap, expiring contract to raise the ceiling of the Doncic-led squad.
Here’s the trade pitch from ESPN:
Los Angeles Lakers get: Jalen Smith
Chicago Bulls get: Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks
Moving on from Hardy would be easy for the Lakers, as he’s been stuck at the end of the bench so far this season.
The team is also reportedly interested in trading him, according to reporter Jovan Buha, as he’s stated on multiple occasions.
“Now the funny thing is the Lakers are going to be trying to trade Jaden Hardy,” he said on Buha’s Block.
“Then it’s Hardy or Bronny. And then I think they’re going to try to flip Hardy,” he added.
Additionally, the Bulls are rebuilding and could use another young player like Hardy, plus the two second-round assets to keep working around Caleb Wilson and the other core pieces. Chicago will likely be searching the trade market to find the best deal for Smith, and if nothing else comes about, a Lakers offer like this could be enough for the team to land a new backup center behind Kessler.
Why Los Angeles Makes This Deal For A Backup Big Man
Writing about why this Lakers trade for Smith makes sense, ESPN had a few reasons why he would be an ideal option for the team to target.
“Smith is a young intriguing stretch big, whose advanced metrics paint as a positive player even on a middling Bulls team. Despite averaging only 17 minutes a game in his career, Smith possesses a rare blend of rim defense, rebounding and 3-point shooting,” Ben Tiemeyer wrote. “This would be a buy-low opportunity for the Lakers to invest in the potential of Smith, letting him play off one of the best playmakers in the world in Luka Doncic.”
“If the Bulls aren’t as convinced about Smith’s potential or are unsure of what kind of an extension they would give him this upcoming summer, they could decide to trade him before the deadline rather than lose him for nothing.”
This isn’t the first time the Lakers are linked to Smith, as just before the start of the season, NBA insider Brett Siegel tabbed the Bulls center as a strong fit in Los Angeles.
“Jalen Smith is the type of player that would make sense for LA to target in this scenario since he’s in the final year of his contract,” he wrote.
The Lakers need more frontcourt depth, and it looks like Smith might become available at some point ahead of the trade deadline. It remains to be seen what Chicago would want back in return, but if it’s young players and minor draft assets, Los Angeles has that and would likely be willing to give up a decent package if it means landing Smith as a spacing big man.
Through nine games with the Bulls this season, he is averaging 11.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks on 49.4% shooting. Smith has been starting in place of the injured Nic Claxton, but if the other big returns, it could lower Smith’s value, which would be good news for a potential Lakers trade.
Lakers Trade Pitch Lands $27M Center Target To Pair With Luka Doncic