Now over a month into the regular season, teams around the NBA have a grasp on their respective strengths and weaknesses. Front offices will look for different means to address those, and the main way to do so during the course of a season is via trade.
The Los Angeles Lakers, under Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, have already pulled off multiple trades in their short tenure as they are always looking for possible ways to improve the team. They’re main plan, of course, is to make a splash in free agency next summer, and with only a few teams having salary cap space, the Lakers could very well be a destination for a superstar.
There could be moves made well before the summer however, and in an interview on the Mason and Ireland Show on ESPN LA Radio, Pelinka explained why he believes teams will be more aggressive on the trade market:
“December 15, I think you’re going to see the trade market open up. I think teams are going to be aggressive. I always say when there’s limited cap room, there’s more trades. When there’s tons of cap room, teams tend to be more free-agent focused. Since there’s limited cap room around the league, I think teams are going to be aggressive with trying to reshuffle.”
The Dec. 15 date is notable, because it’s when most players who were signed this past summer are eligible to be traded, hence why Pelinka believes that’s when there may be activity. As for how it pertains to the Lakers, Pelinka added that he and Johnson are always looking to improve the team:
“When there’s needs on a team, I think you always have to try and address those. You can do it in the Draft, or free agency or trades. Magic and I are constantly looking at all three of those areas to try and make this team better.”
The Lakers’ needs are pretty apparent and the biggest one would be shooting as they are dead last in 3-point shooting percentage. Of course there are also the ongoing rumors about players such as Jordan Clarkson or Julius Randle being moved as the Lakers look to clear cap room for two max contracts this summer.
No one knows what the Lakers will ultimately do, if anything, but there could be some major moves made throughout the NBA if Pelinka’s instincts are right.
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