Los Angeles Lakers: Grading the Reggie Bullock trade

We grade the Los Angeles Lakers recently reported trade with the Detroit Pistons for Reggie Bulock.

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly made their first trade leading up to the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline. It wasn’t a blockbuster involving Anthony Davis, but it was a deal that will help the team in the immediate future.

The Lakers are set to acquire Reggie Bullock from the Detroit Pistons. In exchange for Bullock, the Pistons will be acquiring rookie Svi Mykhailiuk and a future second-round pick.

On the outset, this was a deal that upset some fans. Mykhailiuk became a fan favorite during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League. His potential was on full display, as he showed off his 3-point shooting stroke.

Fans got excited, but that performance has not translated to the regular season. While Los Angeles liked Mykhailiuk, they saw a chance to upgrade their roster and jumped at it.

How did the Lakers grade out on this deal? Let’s break it down.

For starters, Bullock is an excellent fit alongside LeBron James. He has knocked down nearly 40 percent of his 3-point attempts in his career. This season, he is knocking them down at a 38.7 percent clip. The only Lakers who are shooting better than that this season is Lance Stephenson and Rajon Rondo.

To say the Lakers needed more consistent 3-point shooting would be an understatement. Bullock immediately improves the team from that standpoint. When comparing him to Svi, this is a big upgrade as Mykhailiuk was making only 32.1 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Those spot-up shooting numbers will excite Lakers fans. Bullock doesn’t get to the free throw line often, but when he is there, he makes it count, connecting at 87.5 percent from the charity stripe.

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Defensively, Bullock should be a solid fit as well. While his defensive metric stats aren’t strong according to Basketball-Reference, he does stand 6’7″. That should make him a useful player on that end of the court as the Lakers play a switch-heavy defensive scheme.

This move also gives the impression that a bigger deal could be on the way. If there is a bigger deal, such as one for Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ depth was going to be decimated. Getting a starting caliber wing in exchange for someone that was currently a fringe rotation player is always a good deal when you are in win-now mode.

The only reason this deal would be a loss for the Lakers is if it is a rental. Bullock is set to become a free agent following this season. If the Lakers traded a recent second-round pick and a future second-round pick for someone that will be with the team for only 28 games and potential postseason contests, it will disappoint some people.

However, there is a real chance that Bullock is someone the Lakers could retain this offseason. Bullock has developed well overtime, cementing himself as a starting wing that can space the floor. That skill set, in addition to his low cap hold and Bird rights, could be enough to keep him in Los Angeles for the long haul.

While this is a trade that could be graded out worse in the future if Bullock leaves, it is a deal that immediately upgrades the Lakers. Svi may have had some potential, and could develop into a solid NBA player down the road. However, he is nowhere near as ready to contribute to a team right now.

In that regard, the Lakers won this trade. Bullock helps them immediately and potentially in the future as well. This was a win for the Lakers whether or not they make more moves before Thursday’s deadline or not.

Grade: B+