Should the Los Angeles Lakers trade for Mo Bamba?
My answer: Probably not
The biggest hang-up in this entire thing for me is trading Talen Horton-Tucker. THT has serious potential and at this stage of his career, he absolutely has more potential than Bamba. Plus, what THT offers is simply more valuable in today’s game than what Bamba could offer.
If Rob Pelinka was able to work some voodoo magic and pull off this trade without THT then that would be interesting. But even as much as I don’t like Kyle Kuzma, I still would not trade him for Bamba at this point in his career.
Now, there is one counterpoint to the THT trade that could give it some possibility. There is the belief that THT might get a poison pill offer sheet from another team this offseason, which could seriously hamper the Lakers’ plans with him.
It could even lead to the Lakers losing him. You can read my take on the poison pill situation here.
If, and this is a big if, the Los Angeles Lakers are expecting THT to get a poison pill offer and are not planning on matching it then I could see their willingness to trade THT. The Lakers can win the title without THT this season and he probably won’t get many minutes in the playoffs.
They could trade half a season of THT for the future potential of Bamba as he is locked down for one extra season.
That is the only way I could see the Los Angeles Lakers being willing to trade THT and I don’t see a reality in which the Magic take any offer that does not include THT.
For that reason, as Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would say, I’m out.