After Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Boston Celtics all of Lakers Nation was in upheaval. On Monday the Lakers’ General Manager, Mitch Kupchak, announced that he is open to possible trades as we approach this month’s trade deadline.
Now, even though the Lakers haven’t met expectations thus far this season, is it reasonable to think that the team needs a trade to get them motivated? Perhaps Kupchak is just using the threat of trades to wake the team up and start putting forth a more consistent effort. Whatever Kupchak’s game is here, it is a dangerous one. There is no doubt that this announcement could have a negative effect on the team.
However, the Lakers are a team that is filled with predominately veteran players who have been around the block a time or two. They all know what it takes to win, and that winning in January means very little come June. The Lakers have gone through mid-season struggles in almost every season where they have won a championship. If you look back to 2002, the year they won their third straight title with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, the team didn’t finish with the top record in the Western Conference.
So is a mid-season trade really necessary? Personally I think the Lakers are better this year than last. They have a much deeper bench (once Matt Barnes returns), and Lamar Odom is playing at a level we have only seen on occasion in the past. However, if Kupcak does decide to pull the trigger and make a trade, what are the Lakers’ options?
Here are a few scenarios that have been floating around the internet since Sunday’s loss:
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