The NBA Trade Deadline is less than 24 hours away, which means rumors about potential moves are at their height. The Los Angeles Lakers have most-recently been linked to Phoenix Suns big man Marquese Chriss, but no deal seems imminent at the time.
As a matter of fact, no trade period seems like a foregone conclusion, which is a change from earlier in the year when it seemed like almost a guarantee that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, or both, would be dealt.
Now with reports that the Lakers may be focusing more on the summer of 2019 instead of this summer’s free agency class, Ramona Shelburne appeared on ESPN LA Radio and said that the Lakers don’t really have any urgency to make trades right now:
“I think the sense that I was getting and talking to both the Lakers and the teams around the league who were talking with the Lakers is they don’t seem to have this incredible sense of urgency to make any trades right now.”
– @ramonashelburne on @Lakers future plans#LakeShow
— ESPNLosAngeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) February 7, 2018
If the Lakers are indeed more focused on next summer as opposed to this one, it may make sense for them to keep this team intact, especially with how they are performing right now.
The Lakers are 11-4 and playing their best basketball of the season. Messing with that chemistry could really hurt things.
Of course, if the right deal comes along they will have to consider it, but perhaps it will have to be a team coming to them as opposed to the front office making the offers themselves.
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