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Los Angeles Lakers: Who to Trade and Who to Keep

By Donny McHenry

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 9: Jordan Clarkson #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers puts his head on the shoulder of head coach Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers as he waits to check back into the game with rest of his teammates D'Angelo Russell #1 Julius Randle #30 and Larry Nance Jr. #7 during the second half of the basketball game against Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center April 9, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 9: Jordan Clarkson #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers puts his head on the shoulder of head coach Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers as he waits to check back into the game with rest of his teammates D'Angelo Russell #1 Julius Randle #30 and Larry Nance Jr. #7 during the second half of the basketball game against Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center April 9, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 05: Julius Randle #30 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half of a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Staples Center on January 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

Randle’s Contract Problem

Julius Randle’s impending free agency truly is the center of the Lakers’ concerns leading up to this trade deadline. It seems to have a domino effect on the decisions regarding trading Nance and Clarkson. If the Lakers trade him and they miss out on Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, and LeBron James, it’ll be considered a huge failure. If they don’t trade him and they lose him to free agency, it’ll also be a failure.

When it comes down to it, it’s really hard to see Randle and Nance both on the Lakers team in the future. Both of them play the same position and both of them will be coming off their rookie contracts in the next two years. If I had to pick one person, I’d trade Larry Nance Jr.

Randle is way more versatile than Nance. Randle has shown this while excelling in the starting 5 in the most recent games for the Lakers. Nance, on the other hand, hasn’t really shown the ability to be able to switch between the 4 and the 5 seamlessly. Randle can also hit the three occasionally and even handle the ball. Talent-wise, Randle is the easy way to go over Nance. With that being said, who knows how many NBA GMs want to give up some value for Nance over Randle. We will see.

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