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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Obviously in this scenario the Lakers would have to part with Andrew Bynum. But would bringing in a proven All-Star player like Carmelo Anthony make that burden easier to bear? The Nuggets would ultimately have to buy out Luke Walton, but mathematically this trade is possible.
Next: Could Tayshaun be the Next ‘Prince’ of L.A?
This one is very unlikely. If this deal was to go down it almost certainly wouldn’t look like this. However, for the sake of the article we made it work. It would also most likely involve some of the Lakers’ draft picks. Prince is on the block, that is for certain, but whether or not the Lakers have what Detroit is looking for is still up in the air.
Next: Another Memphis Forward Headed to Los Angeles?
While the ESPN Trade Machine is certainly a valuable tool, it doesn’t let us do everything we want. The rest of the rumors I will put in plain, boring text. Please forgive this rather elementary style.
Zach Randolph – Memphis Grizzlies
There is no doubt that the Lakers frontcourt is one of the toughest in the league. Unfortunately it is also one of the most inconsistent. These inconsistencies have most Lakers fans standing on the ledge. Could the addition of Randolph help this problem?
The problem with Randolph is his current salary situation. The Memphis forward is being paid $17,666,666 this season, and is the highest paid player on the Grizzlies by far. The Lakers are already well over the luxury tax, so adding on Randolph’s massive contract isn’t exactly the first thing they want to do, especially with a new collective bargaining agreement on the horizon.
Even if the teams were able to work out the dollars and cents, it still doesn’t make a lot of sense for Los Angeles. Randolph doesn’t provide the Lakers with what they’re currently lacking, and who knows if he would be willing to become a bench player for the remainder of the season.
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Antawn Jamison
Most Laker fans remember the game back in 2000 when Kobe Bryant and Antawn Jamison both scored 51 points in a head to head battle when the latter played for the Golden State Warriors. Most recently Jamison was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers to help LeBron James win a title. Well, Cleveland lost and James left town. Since then Cleveland has lost 21 straight and appear to be on the fast track to the lottery.
It would make sense that Cleveland would want to move Jamison, but it doesn’t make sense for the Lakers. After all, Jamison doesn’t fix any of the pressing issues Los Angeles has. Other than the obvious contractual issues that may arise, Jamison isn’t going to toughen the front line anymore than Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol will. It’s safe to say this trade is going nowhere.
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Steve Nash
The last scenario for today involves another rumor that recently surfaced on the web. Could the Lakers be interested in bringing in 2-time Most Valuable Player Steve Nash? People commonly complain about the Lakers’ supposed point guard issues. Could Nash be the answer?
Personally I think this is one that can go straight back to the garbage pile where it came from. Much like Randolph and Jamison above, the salaries aren’t going to match up for Phoenix and the Lakers in this trade. In addition, Phoenix isn’t going to trade their most coveted possession to their hated division rivals.
The biggest problem in this scenario is the Lakers style of play. While people commonly criticize their guard play, it’s important to realize that a top notch guard wouldn’t work in their current offensive rotation. Bryant is a free range shooting guard that handles the ball as much as the point guards. If you inserted a guard who always wants the ball in his hands to make plays, such as Steve Nash, the offensive rhythm would immediately be interrupted.
A top point guard isn’t going to save the Lakers, and will most likely not even be considered by Kupchak and the Los Angeles front office.
Next: Review and Preview
Obviously the Lakers are going through a tough stretch. In fact, this stretch has been basically the entire season. While they have gone through some winning streaks, it seems that the team has been predominately struggling since the season tipped last October.
I don’t think the Lakers will end up making any major moves. After trading Sasha Vujacic last month the Lakers lost their most lucrative trading chip. The Lakers are a very talented team, and they know it. Don’t be surprised if Mitch Kupchak sits back and lets the trade deadline pass with nothing but a yawn. Once the post-season starts the Lakers will be ready to go. Count on it.
However, if Mitch could work a little magic this is a trade that most of Lakers Nation might agree to:
