Lakers Rumors: Ishmael Smith Deletes Tweet About Joining Lakers
By Jacob Rude
With the Lakers expected to be movers at the trade deadline, our Lakers rumors for today center around a deleted tweet from an Oklahoma City Thunder guard.
The Los Angeles Lakers have long been expected to be active in the trade market, and whether it be a false alarm or not, Thunder guard Ishmael Smith tweeted, then deleted this tweet:
The tweet has since been deleted, but it should raise more than a few eyebrows. It’d almost be a certainty that Smith would be part of a package deal. Currently, Thunder’s guard Reggie Jackson has been whispered as part of trade rumors. The Lakers have a big man that could help the Thunder instantly in Jordan Hill.
A trade centered around Hill, Jackson, Smith, and probably Kendrick Perkins for salary reasons is do-able with very little extra pieces in terms of players needed to be involved. If the Lakers insist on not moving Hill, Ed Davis could be involved without acquiring Perkins, but that seems unlikely.
The tweet could have been deleted because, as it stands, Smith can’t be dealt until Friday, February 6th due to the rule which does not allow a player to be traded until three months after signing a free agent contract. The 6th of this month is the expiry of this restriction for Smith.
The Lakers could simply be working on a deal for Smith only, also. Smith would be an upgrade over current point guard Ronnie Price, but short of trading a conditional future pick or player rights, it’s very unlikely this deal is centered around Smith, who has scored just 37 points in 27 games this year.
If the deal is for Jackson, it’s a move that could pay off for the Lakers this summer. Jackson was a likely free agent target this summer despite being a restricted free agent. As such, the Lakers would likely have to overpay for Jackson’s services in order for the Thunder not to match. Despite recent struggles in Oklahoma City, Jackson would still be a nice get for the Lakers, who could cash in on Hill for a young rebuilding piece.
Do you think the Lakers should trade for Jackson? Let us know down below!