Los Angeles Lakers: 5 moves we wish were April Fools’ jokes

2. Trading Away Ivica Zubac

This is a transaction that will have people scratching their heads for a long time. Realizing the experiment they used to build the roster in the offseason wasn’t working, Maginka looked to change course at the NBA Trade Deadline.

They decided that shooting was needed to help supplement the players on the roster. Reggie Bullock was acquired from the Detroit Pistons. That trade was met skeptically, but then the Lakers front office had one of those, wait, hold my beer moments.

Inexplicably, the Lakers traded Ivicac Zubac and Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala. The trade opened up a roster spot to get in on the buyout market and brought a floor spacer in. In theory, it made some sense. In reality, this was an awful trade.

Zubac was the best thing the Lakers had going at center at the time of the trade. He has continued playing well with the Clippers, averaging 8.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.9 blocks in 19.7 minutes per game. His 20.7 total rebounding percentage would put him tied for eighth in the NBA with Domantas Sabonis.

As for Muscala, it has been a disaster. As Lakers Nation pointed out, Muscala has more DNP’s than 3-pointers in a Lakers uniform.

To add insult to injury, the Clippers brass, led by Lakers legend Jerry West, laughed at the Lakers when the trade was presented to them.