With all the trade chatter surrounding the Lakers these days many feel like a move is somewhat inevitable. Still, with less than a month until the trade deadline there is still a very high possibility that the Lakers may not make a move at all.
In a recent interview with Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated, L.A. general manager Mitch Kupchak stated that it is likely the team will not make one of the big trades or free agent signings that many people are anticipating.
“Of course we’ll talk to a lot of teams [about trades], like everybody else does, leading up until the trade deadline to see if there is a way to improve the team,” Kupchak said. “But the likelihood is that this is the team that’s going to finish into the playoffs. That’s just the way it normally works, but we’ll see.”
This is a much different tune from the one Kupchak was singing earlier in the season when he stated the team was looking at several potential “big moves.”
There’s no question the Lakers could use some help in several key areas on the floor, but at 18-12 they are still playing well despite some struggles on the road. It could very well be a situation where the team will refuse to make a move simply because they won’t be improving the team enough to justify the deal.
If the team does stand pat at next month’s deadline they will go forward with their current squad, barring an unlikely free agent addition. While their current record is good enough to have them in the fifth slot in the Western Conference standings, many pundits are questioning whether the Lakers have enough to compete with teams like Oklahoma City, Miami and Chicago once the post-season rolls around.