The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to upgrade their roster in a big way this offseason, but they shouldn’t trade any of their young core to make that happen and here is why.
The Los Angeles Lakers dangled their young core in trade talks leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline. Their names have been thrown around in trade packages, and the futures of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram with the Lakers are uncertain.
Most people expect some or all of the Lakers’ young core will be traded in exchange for a free agent superstar this summer, and the league popularity of the trio is beyond questionable.
However, these players are hidden gems which must be kept, and the Lakers should build around this trio and let LeBron James finish his career alongside them. They all have the potential to be an All-Star in the NBA.
The team parted ways with D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, who both average more than 19 points per game this season. Russell was named an All-Star, and Randle is having a career season. Magic Johnson keeps giving away young talent, which they picked during year after year in the NBA Draft.
If the Lakers need to be given credit for anything in the past five losing seasons, it would be their ability to draft quality players in the draft such as D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball. Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. are also having success on the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Josh Hart played well also before a knee injury derailed him.
If the team wants to capitalize on their draft picks, they need to stop giving them away in trades, especially for big-name players.
Although the Lakers are searching for big talents, they may be sitting on their roster. Here are three reasons to keep Ball, Kuzma, and Ingram.