The much anticipated Feb. 6 trade deadline is steadily approaching for the Los Angeles Lakers as they potentially look to make another move to solidify their roster.
After acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets in late December, there is a desire to add one to two more players to bolster head coach JJ Redick’s rotation. Those moves are preferably for a backup center and/or an athletic, playmaking guard to support Austin Reaves.
Names have floated around about potential targets for the Lakers and one has recently popped up surrounding the guard front, that being former No. 2 overall pick of the purple and gold Lonzo Ball who The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported on Hoops Tonight is someone of their radar:
“I think Lonzo is someone that’s going to be on their radar, and I think depending on the price if you could get him for a second or two seconds, I think that’s an interesting swing, and also someone with that 6’6” frame that could potentially I think be similar to Bruce Brown, check a couple boxes…he’s bulked up a little bit throughout his career, so he can guard twos and even some smaller threes and potentially be part of a one-through-three switching scheme. And then offensively I think especially coming off the bench as a secondary ball-handler, playmaker and also a spot-up shooter, I think he’s someone who’s an interesting gamble for them.”
Ball missed the previous two seasons with a knee issue but the former UCLA product is slowly but surely working his way back into form as a capable perimeter defender. In terms of a possible return to L.A., Ball could certainly enter the fold as a capable rotational guard and possibly start next to Reaves.
One other option is Bruce Brown, who possesses a similar skillset to Ball by not needing the ball in his hands to be successful. The one-time NBA champion is best guarding shooting guards and showcased his value against the Lakers during the 2023 Western Conference Finals. It’s also worth noting L.A. was viewed as the frontrunner to sign Brown during the 2023 offseason before the Indiana Pacers swooped in.
Both players could certainly help, but seeing how they make around $20 million, general manager Rob Pelinka would need to stack multiple salaries to bring in their services.
Lonzo Ball will ‘never forget’ getting to play with LeBron James
Lonzo Ball’s tenure with the Lakers was an interesting one as he got to play with LeBron James when he signed with the team in 2018. Looking back at that moment, Ball admitted that he will ‘never forget’ playing with James, who he grew up idolizing.
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