1. Does he carry any value in a trade?
Here is the last option, which would be most ideal for the Lakers. You’re not going to get a lottery pick for him so take out your James Wiseman fantasies.
Value will be up-and-down and will most likely be tapped with restrictions. Teams do this so that they don’t lose a pick that is too high. Such as lottery-protected, top-30 protected, etc.
There are teams out there that desire shooting, that could use Cook off the bench. At $3 million his contract easy to absorb and teams with multiple second-round picks could be inclined to bite. He also provides a veteran that could help younger guys.
It the Lakers can get a top-40 protected pick out of him that would be great. The Lakers would shed Cook’s contract to get another player that fits the same bill and even more at a cheaper price. They can value their exceptions more in the shooting department.
Cook was also a non-factor for the Lakers title run, as he didn’t play at all except for garbage time in the playoffs. This is the best scenario for the team.
Get a protected pick that you can use as a small asset in the future and create a small trade exception to use at the trade deadline.