Los Angeles Lakers: Buyers
Week 13: 3-2
Offense: (111.3) 15th
Defense: (106.0) 1st
Net: (Plus +5.3) 4th
Winning a title is hard — defending a title is even harder. Various reports are suggesting with LeBron out the need for a wing who can score, another playmaker, and depth up front are all desires. The issue of course is the Lakers don’t have much on hand to comprise deals with.
When Adrian Wojnarowsi suggested the Lakers wanted to get in on the Kyle Lowry discussions it stopped me in my tracks because they have nothing close to the assets or picks the 76ers or Heat can offer. Moreover, they aren’t interested in including Talen Horton-Tucker which limits who they have to offer.
They have five players in total who make more than $3.6 million (not including the Luol Deng buyout) and two of those are superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The others include former OKC Thunder guard Dennis Schroder who is ls also untouchable. That leaves Montezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
For all the same reasons those two would be available (undersized big man and a microwave scorer who is inconsistent) are the same reasons why they aren’t compelling options.
That said, Sam Presti has proven to be adept at offering rejuvenating career turnarounds so perhaps a KCP plus second-round pick(s) for George Hill might have traction.