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Why the Los Angeles Lakers will make a trade at some point this season

By Jason Reed

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 27: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center on January 27, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 27: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center on January 27, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 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 Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. The Los Angeles Lakers have legitimate roster needs

It would be one thing if the Los Angeles Lakers were a well-polished machine that did not have any roster holes. Now, every single team in the league is going to have some sort of roster holes, but typically, the holes for a contending team are quite small.

The Lakers have one roster hole that is getting more and more noticeable by the game: the center position. Marc Gasol is a great veteran and I am sure he will turn it up in the NBA Playoffs but he has not been as good as the team needed him to be and at the end of the day the team needs depth at the position.

That is something that could legitimately swing a playoff series and I am not being dramatic. Just think: what in the world do the Los Angeles Lakers do if they are playing the Denver Nuggets and Marc Gasol gets in early foul trouble?

We would see a lot of Montrezl Harrell on the court at the same time as Nikola Jokic and we all know how that turns out.

They need another traditional rim-protecting center that can provide minutes off the bench and keep these crazy mismatches from happening. Not very many teams present this nightmare matchup, but it is there in the likes of the Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers.

There is a smaller hole, as well as the team, could use better bench wings. Kyle Kuzma is not a good enough defender to be considered a good bench wing and Wesley Matthews has not produced as much as expected.

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This is something that the Lakers can get by without as the rotation shrinks in the playoffs but if Matthews were to get hurt then the team would be in trouble. Flipping youth in Alfonzo McKinnie for a more experienced defensive wing, similar to the Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk-for-Reggie Bullock trade, would be ideal.

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