With the trade deadline just a month away, we’re taking the next few weeks to break down trade targets at every position for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Last week we toyed with the idea of D’Angelo Russell moving to shooting guard for fun. However, my belief is that Russell is indeed still the go-to option at point guard for the Lakers going forward.
With that being said, the Lakers still don’t have a plan for what they’re going to do at shooting guard, or at least not a plan that has been made clear.
Are they going to pay Nick Young this upcoming summer? Do they move Jordan Clarkson back to the starting lineup? Are they hoping they can retain their top-three pick and draft a star shooting guard? Is Kobe coming out of retirement to lead the Lakers back to the promised land? We don’t know.
One option they do have is the trade market. The Lakers have a few pieces on the roster they can flip for assets, or what we’re hoping for in this scenario, young guards.
Around this time of the season, teams–including the Lakers–have to decide whether they value team building or deep playoff runs. Those that prefer the latter will have to make moves at the deadline, and capable players like Lou Williams and Nick Young should be attainable for the right price.
What the Lakers can actually get in return is up for debate, but we’re going to look at some players the Purple and Gold can target at shooting guard before the trade deadline on Feb. 23.
Caris LeVert
Age: 22
Contract: Signed a multi-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets after being drafted No. 20 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft.
2016-17 Relevant Stats: 3.4 PTS, 2.5 REB, 1.9 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.1 BLK
If your initial reaction to seeing this name is “who?” I suppose that’s fair. The same could be said about half of the Brooklyn Nets’ roster. With the exception of Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin, your guess is as good as mine.
Name this band pic.twitter.com/EllhIhc4CB
— Strictly 4 My X’ers (@Lizzs_Lockeroom) September 27, 2016
Like the Lakers, the Nets are going through somewhat of a rebuild (just don’t tell Sean Marks that). However, unlike the Lakers, the Nets’ future doesn’t look too bright. They owe their next two first round draft picks to the Boston Celtics and with the exception of Lin and Lopez, Brooklyn fans don’t have a ton to be excited about. They should be sellers at the trade deadline.
Their best bet at getting assets would be dealing Brook Lopez in exchange for a handful of picks, but there has been no indication they’re willing to do that. The next best thing would be fielding calls for some of their young players–no matter how few there are.
One player on Brooklyn’s roster LA should inquire about is rookie Caris LeVert. LeVert was drafted with the No. 20 pick in the 2016 NBA draft, but only because his draft stock plummeted after suffering a season-ending injury during his final season at the University of Michigan.
Despite missing the last eight games of his senior season, LeVert was named as a top 10 finalist for the Jerry West Award, given to the top shooting guard in college basketball. In other words, he’s pretty good.
While his stellar college play hasn’t quite translated to the NBA yet, he’s not doing too bad for someone that was drafted late in the first round. Among rookies attempting at least three 3-pointers per game, LeVert is fifth in the NBA, ahead of heralded sharpshooter Jamal Murray.
He might not be the All-Star shooting guard fans are hoping for, but he’s a prospect worth pursuing to add to the Lakers’ young core. Lou Williams, Jose Calderon and a second round pick for LeVert (and maybe a filler) should get the deal done.
The Nets are still roughly $8 million under the salary cap floor, so they would be able to absorb both Williams and Calderon’s contracts using cap space. In fact, the trade would put the Nets over the cap, allowing them to avoid any penalty from the NBA for being under the cap.
Mario Hezonja
Age: 21
Contract: Singed a rookie-scale contract after being drafted No. 5 in the 2015 NBA Draft. Average $3 million a year, $11.7 million guaranteed over three years. Team options in 2017 and 2018.
2016-17 Relevant Stats: 3.4 PTS, 1.4 REB, 0.5 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.2 BLK
Remember Mario Hezonja? Selected with the No. 5 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Hezonja was supposed to be next European stud to take over the association. His elite athleticism and sweet shooting were made for the modern NBA game, or at least so we thought.
Despite his exuberant confidence in himself, Hezonja has yet to make an impact with the Orlando Magic and with each game, his No. 5 selection becomes less justified. He is in the bottom 10 in literally every statistical category among sophomores that play at least 9 minutes per game.
Hezonja has seen better days, but perhaps his best days are still ahead of him, those days just likely won’t be in Orlando.
The Magic committed big money to Evan Fournier this past summer, inking him to a five-year $85 million deal. Think that’s bad? I wouldn’t suggest looking at Bismack Biyombo’s contract or the money they’re going to pay to keep Serge Ibaka this summer.
There are also rumors that Orlando is eyeing Miami’s Goran Dragic to improve their team, taking even more playing time from the already rarely used Hezonja. He needs a new home, and Los Angeles is nice this time of year.
A trade for Hezonja won’t push the needle this season. In fact, it would probably make the team worse, which is good for all the fans that want to see UCLA’s Lonzo Ball in the Purple and Gold next season.
A straight Nick Young for Hezonja swap should get the deal done, but the Magic would need some assurance that Young would re-sign when he inevitably opts out of his contract at the end of the season. If Orlando preferred Lou Williams in this scenario, they would likely have to give a little more.
For the Lakers, this trade would be a potential low risk, high reward move. Orlando would continue their quest to trade their young players for players over 30.
Brandon Knight
Age: 25
Contract: Signed a five-year, $70 million deal in 2015. Average $14 million a year.
2016-17 Relevant Stats: 11.9 PTS, 2.4 REB, 2.4 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.0 BLK
It’s really hard to feel bad for the Phoenix Suns. For the past couple of years, they have had a “problem” with having too much talent in the backcourt. First, it was Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas. Now, it is Devin Booker, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight.
Once again, it looks like they’re going to have to break up the band, and Knight looks like he’s the odd man out. Booker looks the part of a future All-Star (on the offensive end at least) and Bledsoe is coming fresh off of a career-night against the Toronto Raptors.
With their latest win, the Suns (15-29) are 3.5 games behind the eighth seed in the West. The Suns’ front office might feel inclined to make a move involving Knight to secure them a spot in the playoffs. If that’s the case, the Lakers should make them an offer.
Knight is not even a year removed from averaging 19.6 points per game yet he is averaging the seventh-most minutes per game (21.9) on the Suns’ roster. Jared Dudley and P.J. Tucker are getting more run and they’re both on the wrong side of 30. What went wrong?
Well, Knight currently holds the fourth-worst box plus-minus in the NBA, so that might have something to do with it. He’s also really, really bad on defense (not that Booker is much better). Phoenix is better of trading Knight for a pair of guards that can initiate offense off the bench. Namely, Lou Williams and Nick Young.
The Suns have a starting lineup capable of keeping them in tough games, but there is a huge fall off when the second unit comes in. Phoenix’s bench is shooting 42.8 percent from the field and elite teams like the Golden State Warriors–who they’d see in the first round of the playoffs–unapologetically feast on bad benches. If they can bolster their bench, they can easily compete for the eighth seed.
The Lakers could send Young, Williams and Jose Calderon for Brandon Knight and P.J. Tucker. Young and Williams would be instant offense for Phoenix off the bench and Calderon would give the Suns an option outside of rookie Tyler Ulis at point.
LA would have a young combo guard to play alongside D’Angelo Russell and an expiring contract in P.J. Tucker. Phoenix would also have a pair of expiring contracts in Young and Calderon.
Next: Ingram struggled against the Mavs
But what do you guys think? Should the Lakers pursue a shooting guard at the trade deadline? Are there better options at shooting guard on the market? Let us know in the comments below!