With the trade deadline just under a month away, we’re taking the next few weeks to break down trade targets at every position for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers have a good problem in the frontcourt, particularly at the power forward position. While they’re not the Philadelphia 76ers–more on them in just a second–they have an abundance of talent at the four headlined by the No. 7 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Julius Randle, and the high-flying Larry Nance Jr.
Not to mention Brandon Ingram, who might have the skill to play either forward positions once his thin frame fills out. So do they need a power forward? No, but it wouldn’t hurt to add, or replace, a body in the frontcourt. Preferably one that can space the floor.
Nance and Randle have attempted 35 three-pointers combined and have only made seven of them. Nance has a more developed midrange game than Randle, but it’s hard to imagine either one of the turn into a stretch-four by next season.
In an era that values shooting bigs, the Lakers don’t have any. That’s why we’ve put together a few trades to address that problem without giving up one of the Lakers’ key young players.
None of these trades are meant to replace Nance or Randle, rather, they’re meant to give head coach Luke Walton options on the bench that would allow him to space the floor. Because the Lakers’ young core is off the table in these hypothetical trade scenarios, names like Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, Ryan Anderson and Paul Millsap will not be on here. Sorry in advance.