Los Angeles Lakers: 4 reasons to consider trading for Bradley Beal
By Robert Marvi
If the Los Angeles Lakers make a trade prior to the NBA Trade Deadline, they should consider acquiring Bradley Beal for these four reasons.
When the Los Angeles Lakers have been healthy or almost fully healthy this season, they’ve been a pretty good, and at times a really good team. Between the time Tyson Chandler joined the squad in early November and LeBron’s groin injury, the team went 16-8. That may not be an elite winning percentage (especially given they had a somewhat favorable schedule during that time), but it’s close.
Since the self-proclaimed GOAT and Rajon Rondo both went out though, they’ve been just 5-8. Let’s be real, the Lakers without those two, as Chick Hearn would’ve said back in the day, probably couldn’t beat the sisters of mercy.
It’s not just this latest swoon that should concern us though. From the beginning, we knew that, in all likelihood, this season would be a transition year and a build-up for what all of us were hoping would be a return to championship contention.
For that to happen, the Lakers will have to somehow acquire a second star or superstar to pair with LeBron James. Paul George refused to even meet with the team, and they couldn’t acquire Kawhi Leonard when he wanted out of San Antonio.
Early in the season, some suggested the Lakers should trade for the Wizards’ Bradley Beal. He is having a career season, averaging about 25 points, five rebounds and five assists per game while shooting a robust 46.9 percent from the field. Plus, he’s only 25 years of age, so barring injury, he should have many productive years left.
Yes, he has a sizable contract, as he’s due to make just over $27 million next season and almost $29 million the season after that. But if the Lakers signed someone to a max contract (not even a supermax one), they’d have to pay him even more than that.
With the trading deadline just a few weeks away, there are several good reasons for Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka to at least think long and hard about making a run at Bradley Beal this season.