The Los Angeles Lakers may very well make a trade or two before the NBA trade deadline on Thursday, and the one player that seems likely to be on the move before the deadline is Lou Williams.
Along with the Washington Wizards reportedly showing interest in Williams, the Utah Jazz may also be receptive to the idea of adding the veteran guard to their backcourt, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley:
Some member of the Utah Jazz front office have expressed interest recently in Lakers guard Lou Williams, ESPN sources say. Many around the league believe Williams is likely to be dealt before Thursday’s trade deadline. Some teams who have talked to the Lakers about Williams believe Los Angeles is seeking a first-round pick in any Williams swap.
At 30, Williams continues to be one of the best bench players in the league. Although the Lakers are struggling this season, Williams is leading the team in scoring at 18.6 points per game and is arguably the most consistent player on the Los Angeles roster.
With Williams set to make only $7 million and still among the NBA’s elite bench scorers, the journeyman is an attractive asset for teams around the league looking to make a deep run in the playoffs.
The Jazz, who have been on the upswing the last few years, are currently sitting in the fifth seed in the Western Conference with less than two months remaining in the 2016-17 NBA regular season. The addition of Williams would give Utah a considerable offensive boost off the bench, especially if they’re only sacrificing a draft in exchange for the former Sixth Man of the Year.
The Lakers have until 12 p.m. PST on Feb. 23 to make a deal involving Williams or any other player they’re willing to move before the deadline.
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