The Los Angeles Lakers are always an intriguing watch in the lead into the NBA trade deadline — they’re the Los Angeles Lakers.
But now more than ever.
Just like last year, the Lakers’ deadline decisions are even more fascinating given the team’s lacklustre 22-23 season despite being built to win now with the evergreen LeBron James still dominant at age 39 alongside co-star Anthony Davis at the peak of his powers.
This season isn’t quite as dire as last, when LA was near dysfunctional and had a Russell Westbrook headache, needing to completely retool its roster … which it did subliminally to help charge Darvin Ham’s team all the way to the conference finals.
But still, the clock is ticking on the Lakers arguably more urgently than any other side, with James’ championship window shrinking. Other contenders have already made moves — even if they’ve predominantly been Eastern Conference teams — to take some of the biggest names off the market.
They include OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam and Terry Rozier, with Rozier a player who’s previously been linked to Lakers and would’ve made a lot of sense to help their offensive woes and bolster their outside shooting.
POTENTIAL DEADLINE MOVES
Two players they’ve zeroed in on, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, are Bruce Brown and Dejounte Murray.
In Brown’s case, the flexible guard was recently moved from Indiana to the Raptors and now looms as one of the big trade watches for playoff sides trying to add a final piece to the puzzle. The Lakers were one of the favourites to sign Brown as a free agent last off-season after his title run with Denver before Indiana tabled him a juicy two-year, $45 million deal that dwarfed all other offers.
As for Murray, who would cost more in a deal as a riskier play and give the Lakers less long-term flexibility, LA has reportedly already discussed a trade with Atlanta involving D’Angelo Russell. Talks broke down after the Hawks wanted to find a third team for Russell instead of acquiring him, but are expected to be picked up again, with the Lakers viewed as the team most seriously pursuing Murray.
Both Brown and Murray are being widely courted throughout the league though in what will ultimately turn into an NBA bidding war of which team can offer the best package.
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