THE The Los Angeles Lakers They haven’t really moved this summer, and as the weeks have gone by, their options have become more and more limited.
With just weeks to go before training camp begins, the only realistic trade targets they might have to make a meaningful step forward are Portland Trail Blazers Before Jerami Grant And The Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVineLaVine, a two-time All-Star who played at the University of California, Los Angeles, has been linked to the Lakers on and off for several months.
An anonymous Western Conference executive with whom Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times spoke believes Los Angeles should seriously go after LaVine.
Via Los Angeles Times:
“I would call Chicago and try to get Zach LaVine,” the executive told Woike.
LaVine is a very capable scorer and an exciting player, but he has been injury-prone for years and is a weak defender. The Lakers already have two starting guards in D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves who lack defensive talent.
Additionally, there is a sense that LaVine’s stats may be nothing more than empty calories that would have no impact on a winning team. In 10 NBA seasons, he has only made the playoffs once — that was in 2022 when his Bulls lost in five games in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The executive director, however, had some arguments that could be strong to justify his advice.
“Here’s the gist of the argument: LaVine could be obtained simply by matching the money he’s owed, freeing the Bulls from a contract that would likely run through 2027 and cost the team $138 million,” Woike wrote. “That would allow the Lakers to preserve their draft assets for a future contract or the inevitable rebuild.”
“A trade would cost the Lakers D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and either Jarred Vanderbilt Or Gabe Vincent — a significant cost in terms of talent, because the team cannot recover more salary in a trade than it sends.
“And while questions remain about that, the executive said the Lakers need to recognize that the roster isn’t good enough to win a championship.
“LaVine, a capable three-point shooter, would give the Lakers another perimeter scorer who could be counted on to create his own offense late in games. The downside, of course, would be injury concerns (oh, and there are tons of them) and a lot of projections about LaVine’s contribution in a reduced offensive role with more needs on defense.
“The executive also said having LaVine’s big contract number in a year or two could be helpful if the Lakers gamble their future picks on a star.”
LaVine, 29, is under contract for three more seasons and will be paid $43 million next season. The final year of his contract is a player option year.
He averaged 19.5 points per game last season, but that was well below his scoring output over the previous five years, when he never averaged less than 23 points per game.
This article was originally published on LeBron Wire: Anonymous executive believes Lakers should trade for two-time All-Star
