The Los Angeles Lakers got a dip in the trading season by switching to Rui Hachimura on Monday, sending Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks (2023, 2028 and 2029) back to the Wizards. Do you have another offer in stock? Let’s take a look at the latest purple and gold-related trade rumors ahead of the 2023 NBA trade deadline on February 9th.
In search of wing depth
Hachimura fits that bill, but the Lakers — who need a good-sized two-way wing that can take some defensive load off LeBron James against elite scorers (and preferably one who can shoot too) — reportedly want more. Now that Nunn has been shipped off to Washington, Patrick Beverley is the Lakers player most likely to be sent into another potential deal, Athletic reports:
with [Anthony] Davis is set to return soon, the Lakers continue to evaluate the roster and rotation and are still deciding whether to make a minor or major upgrade with their tradable draft assets. At this point, their most likely move would be to trade Beverley and a lottery-protected first-round pick for another wing or front-court upgrade. But the Lakers are poised to consider adding more assets to get a better player, depending on Davis’ recovery and the state of the market as the deadline nears.
In other words, the Lakers are still trying to contain their near-term ambitions unless the market opens up an opportunity to make another move at a price that doesn’t hurt those two first-round picks (2027 and 2029).
Who could fit the wing shooter bill up to this point?
Bogdanovic has always been a name associated with the Lakers, and they have the assets to strike a deal with Detroit with either of those two first-round picks they’re sticking with. But according to The Athletic, the Lakers would want to protect the outgoing pick with a lottery to ensure it stays indoors when the Lakers go to the tank in a few years.
Detroit’s Bojan Bogdanovic remains the name most associated with the Lakers in league circles, but the Pistons are looking for an unprotected first-round pick in at least one potential trade, according to league sources. The Lakers prefer to only give up a lottery-protected first for 34-year-old Bogdanović, although that could change as the clock approaches the market deadline.
Again, this comes down to a single question: Do the Lakers believe a player like Bogdanovic can actually catapult them into fringe fights? If not, they probably won’t part with an unprotected pick to nab him or anyone else.
This post will continue to be updated with the latest Lakers trade rumours/reports.