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Lakers: 3 Trade Scenarios to Help the Lakers’ Playoff Push

Oct 28, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; The Los Angeles Lakers bench is clearly disappointed with the score late in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 96-89. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 28, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; The Los Angeles Lakers bench is clearly disappointed with the score late in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 96-89. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
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Nov 30, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) attempts to calm down forward Stanley Johnson (3) during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win 116-105. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) attempts to calm down forward Stanley Johnson (3) during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win 116-105. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

This is where is starts to get real. Trading Julius Randle at this stage of his career would be insane unless the package the Lakers got in return was too good to be true. I believe that is this package.

Earlier this month, I wrote an article on what the Lakers plan to do at shooting guard going forward. In that article, I mentioned Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as a potential trade candidate for the Lakers.

The 23-year-old reportedly wants $20 million a year, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. KCP will be a restricted free agent next summer, so his future will ultimately depend on what the Pistons decide to do with him. That is unless some other team trades for him.

The Lakers looked like they had their backcourt of the future in D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, but it hasn’t worked out that way. KCP would be a nice compliment–defensively at least–to Russell. Offensively, he’s still a work in progress.

While KCP is averaging a decent 14.5 points per game this season, he’s shooting 42 percent from the field and a lowly 37.5 percent from behind the arc. Sound familiar? It should.

description of the table for interested parties
Player Season Age G GS MP FG% 3P% eFG% FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PTS
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 2016-17 23 25 25 33.2 .410 .373 .489 .820 1.0 2.6 3.6 3.2 1.2 0.1 1.2 14.3
Jordan Clarkson 2016-17 24 25 3 29.1 .425 .295 .466 .821 0.7 2.1 2.8 2.2 1.5 0.1 2.1 14.6

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/10/2016.

Clarkson has been underwhelming this season, and he usually shadows his defensive efficiencies with a stellar offensive game. That hasn’t been the case this season.

Caldwell-Pope would provide an upgrade at the 2-guard while giving the Lakers another exciting young piece for the future.

The Pistons would bolster their bench scoring and add another gritty young big to play with Drummond in the frontcourt. Will it hurt to give up Julius Randle? Yes, but adding KCP, the former No. 8 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Stanley Johnson, and a temporary replacement at the four in Marcus Morris is well worth it.

Whatever it takes to help Stan Van Gundy to form his f**king wall.

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