Los Angeles Lakers: Three shooting guard trade candidates

1.) Bogdan Bogdanovic

Bogdan Bogdanovic should be the number one trade priority of the Los Angeles Lakers this season. After handing out massive extensions to Harrison Barnes and Buddy Hield, in addition to looming big deals for De’Aaron Fox, and Marvin Bagley III, it seems that Bogie could be the odd man out when it comes to contract negotiations.

Because of this, the Lakers should jump on the opportunity to trade for Bogdanovic now, as they’ll have his bird rights to match any offer in restricted free agency, and go over the cap to re-sign him. Bogdanovic could give the Lakers a true third option, as he is capable of creating his own shot, running pick and roll, and spotting up when needed.

Bogdanovic has a relatively low cap figure at only $8.8 million, so finding the matching salaries will be much easier than other big name trade candidates. With Marvin Bagley III out with an ankle injury, and the Kings vying for a playoff spot, the Lakers can offer Kyle Kuzma as a stop-gap power forward option, as well as their pick of either Caldwell-Pope, or Avery Bradley and a couple second round picks to sweeten the deal.

Coach Luke Walton has had a good relationship with Kuzma in the past, so you can imagine him singing his praises if the Kings were legitimately interested in making a trade happen. But should the Lakers make a move for Bogdanovic, that means that they can roll out a closing lineup of Bogdanovic/Bradley or Pope/Green/James/Davis, which would be right up there in terms of best five-man lineups in the NBA.