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Los Angeles Lakers: Buy or sell the latest trade rumors

By Addam Goldman

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the court during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 11: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers on the court during the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on October 11, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Derrick Rose to the Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers tried to trade for Derrick Rose during the 2019-2020 season. Both sides couldn’t come to an agreement, but the speculation hasn’t stopped. Several GMs across the NBA believe that the Pistons and Lakers will reinitiate their trade talks, and this time Rose will land in Hollywood.

Here’s one popular trade idea circulating:

This deal has one caveat—Avery Bradley must opt into his player option first.

On the surface, Avery Bradly and Kyle Kuzma for Derrick Rose looks like a reasonable deal for both sides. The Lakers would finally land the coveted playmaking point guard they’ve been after for almost a year now—a point guard who has an MVP to his name and can still get to the rack while getting his teammates involved on offense.

The rebuilding Pistons already dumped Andre Drummond and his massive salary last season and are looking to continue the fire sale during the offseason so they can bottom out during 2021. Detroit’s hope would be that dealing Derrick Rose would help them crater towards the number one pick in the lottery while they’d also get a chance to have a look at Kyle Kuzma and see if they want to offer him a long term contract.

Dig deeper, though, and this trade doesn’t make sense for the Lakers.

Derrick Rose averaged 18 points per game last season, but they might have been the easiest 18 points in the NBA. The Pistons played the second softest schedule in the association during the previous season. And it’s not like these weak teams Detroit squared off against were circling the Pistons on their calendars and getting hyped up to play one of the worst squads (20-46) in the NBA.

In reality, Derrick Rose, the Pistons backup point guard, went up against an assortment of unmotivated reserve units who were typically playing just hard enough not to lose to the lowly Pistons.

Yes, Derrick Rose put up 18 points per game, but he needed 15 attempts per game, and he shot 30 percent from deep on the season. Those are not inspiring numbers. In the end, Detroit was 1.7 points worse while Rose was on the floor.

Avery Bradley isn’t the playmaker that Derrick Rose is, and he can’t drive down the lane like the former Chicago MVP. Overall, Avery Bradley was a better player last season than Rose. Compare a few all-encompassing advanced stats:

Avery Bradley:

  • 0.14 real plus-minus (37 among 95 point guards)
  • 3.7 plus/minus (6 on the Lakers)
  • 1.5 win shares through 1,186 total minutes played

Derrick Rose:

  • -0.62 real plus-minus (49 among all point guards)
  • -1.7 plus/minus (7 on the Pistons)
  • 2.5 win shares through 1,298 total minutes played

Avery Bradley performed better in ESPN’s plus-minus rating. His point differential was better because he is one of the best defensive point guards in the NBA, while Derrick Rose conserved energy on the less glamorous side of the ball to increase his point totals. Derrick Rose had 2.5 win shares to Avery Bradley’s 1.5, but the Piston backup point guard also played more minutes.

It’s not clear that the Lakers should trade Avery Bradley for Derrick Rose straight up, and we haven’t even mentioned Kyle Kuzma yet.

Kyle Kuzma struggled during the 2019-2020 season, but he grew immensely during the bubble. Kyle Kuzma played excellent defense, rebounded well, and swung the ball with precision throughout the stiff competition of the playoffs.

You could argue that all-in-all Avery Bradley and Kyle Kuzma is a better package than Derrick Rose, but D-Rose fills a big need for the Purple and Gold, so this trade could happen. However, this deal is too big of a loss for the Lakers, and despite the negative press Rob Pelinka often receives, he’s proven he’s too shrewd a GM to make this kind of agreement.

We have to sell this trade.

Derrick Rose to the Lakers for a package including Talen Horton-Tucker, Quinn Cook, and the 28th pick in the draft is more reasonable. The Pistons would land a solid young player in Horton-Tucker and another piece through the draft. The Lakers would get a decent backup point guard without giving up Bradley and Kuzma, two championship level role players.

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