The Lakers would be wise to move Lou Williams before February’s trade deadline
The Los Angeles Lakers recently revealed that they were trying to trade center Roy Hibbert to a contender. As always, the Lakers PR team did a great job at spinning the story in their favor, graciously saying that they were trying to find Hibbert a playoff team as a thank you for waiving his trade kicker.
That said, when is the last time the Lakers came out and said that they were shopping a player that the player was actually traded? None in recent memory, just ask Nick Young and Pau Gasol. When the Lakers make moves, it normally breaks news, so what has changed?
Regardless, while the move from Hibbert is a great idea, the Lakers would also benefit from trading Lou Williams sooner rather than later. Williams has been one of the lone bright spots for the Lakers this season and despite the front office saying that they aren’t actively shopping him, you can bet that their eyes are peeled for the right deal.
Here are three quick reasons why the Lakers should trade Lou Williams now.
1. Addition by Subtraction
Lou Williams has been a vision of consistency for the Lakers, for the most part, this season, seemingly often serving as the only player not on board with Byron Scott‘s ongoing tank mission.
Lou Williams right now pic.twitter.com/HiCbs6GNMP
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) January 13, 2016
However, ironically, his solid play is hurting the Lakers future in two ways: first, because winning more games hurts the Lakers chances at retaining their draft pick and second, and more importantly, because he is taking away valuable minutes that should be used on players the likes of D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Brown.
At some point, it must be conceded that winning games now is drastically hurting their future, and that point has long past.
2. He Actually Has Trade Value
Unlike the majority of Lakers, the surprising thing about Lou is that he actually still has trade value in this league despite playing for the 9-34 Lakers. Coming off his Sixth Man of the Year season in Toronto, Williams is actually putting up numbers comparable to his last season on the Raptors.
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/19/2016.
Yes, it’s taking him more minutes to averaging nearly identical stats, but in his last 10 contests, Williams is averaging 22.6 points a game, even dropping a career high 44 points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
With their lack of an established offensive scheme, which translates to isolation heavy basketball, the Lakers make Lou Williams look pedestrian but on the right team he could be the piece that solidifies a bench and pushes a team into playoff contention.
3. Chance to Build for a Better Tomorrow
Even though the Lakers signed him to three-year, $21 million contract, the idea that they did so only to use him as trade bait down the line was always a lingering possibility. The same can be said about Roy Hibbert and even Brandon Bass.
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This is to say that a core of Hibbert-Williams-Bass couldn’t possibly be the lineup that the Lakers were going to try and sell Kevin Durant as the lineup he could win a championship with.
That said, just like what they are currently trying to do with Hibbert, the Lakers should be trying to clean house in attempt to get back any pieces that can to bolster their rebuild, whether it be a late first rounder or a young up-and-coming player.
The odds are becoming more and more likely that Kevin Durant re-signs with the Thunder for one more season anyways, so why not try and build a young post-Kobe core, that might actually show signs of prominence in a year’s time.
Next: Lakers Trade Prospects: Tim Hardaway Jr Breakdown
The Lakers have 15 roster spots, many of which are filled by players who will have no bearing on their future, but to begin building for a better tomorrow, they must part with all the non-essentials now.