With the NBA trade deadline just around the corner on Feb. 5, the Los Angeles Lakers are looking for ways to upgrade their roster.
It’s no secret they can use a 3-and-D wing, and one name who could fit that billing, in theory, is De’Andre Hunter of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hunter just had a good game against the Lakers this week and is reportedly among the players they are targeting in trade talks.
To take it a step further, Chris Fedor reported on the “Wine and Gold Talk” podcast that the Lakers and Cavaliers have discussed the framework of a Hunter trade involving Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht and a third team:
“I just want to say from people that I’ve talked to, my sources tell me that a general framework has been discussed between the Cavs and the Lakers and a third team. It’s hard because the Lakers are right below the apron. Like $900,000 below the apron, but they are a tax team. So there are some restrictions that they have, and we all know the complications for the Cavs when it comes to trades, they can’t aggregate salaries, they only have one really first-round draft pick that they can trade, they have to be right on the number in terms of salary-matching purposes. But my sources tell me that the Cavs and the Lakers have discussed a general framework surrounding De’Andre Hunter of Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht, and then bringing in a third team.”
Hunter is on the trade block because he is having a bit of a down year for the Cavaliers, averaging 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26.2 minutes per game off the bench while shooting 42.2% from the field and 30.9% from 3-point range. Those percentages are significantly lower than his career numbers of 44.8% and 36.5%.
If the Lakers were to trade for Hunter then they would be betting that he could shoot closer to his career numbers while providing some perimeter defense. Reports have indicated that the Lakers are looking to maintain their future cap space going into the summer though, and Hunter would make that difficult as he has one more year remaining on his deal after this one at $24.9 million.
Lakers open to trading both Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht?
As stated in the report, it would probably have to be a three-team deal to make the money work, but Hachimura and Knecht would likely be the players departing L.A.
According to recent reports, the Lakers would be open to trading both Hachimura and Knecht with the latter needing a change of scenery to get his career back on track.
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