After tumbling out of the playoffs, the Los Angeles Lakers have some work to do in order to get themselves back into title contention next season.
A fully healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis would be a step in the right direction. It is arguable that if the purple and gold had the dynamic duo fit and healthy during the 1st round match up against the Chris Paul-led Phoenix Suns that the outcome might have been in the Laker’s favor. We shall never know.
What Lakersnation does know is that changes need to be made in order to continue to maximize LeBron James’ championship window with the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron is chasing ring number 5 and a chance at catching Jordan’s 6 rings. The Lakers are chasing a record-breaking 18th NBA championship.
It is fair to say that both sides are keen and motivated to make next year one in which the purple and gold return to the NBA finals.
So how can they do it?
They can go hunting in free agency, however, with minimal cap space, it is going to be difficult for Pelinka and co. to lure in top-end talent.
Could a trade be an option? If so who?
One name that has been on the tip of many a Laker fans tongues for a number of years is Sacramento Kings Shooting Guard Buddy Hield.
What would it take to land Buddy Hield on the Los Angeles Lakers?
The trade that could land Buddy Hield on the Los Angeles Lakers:
The Sacramento Kings add depth to an injury-plagued roster.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, while not the same scorer as Hield, offers significantly better defense and when in form, is an extremely solid 3-point shooter. KCP is a complementary piece that isn’t going to impede on the main players getting their shots off. He is more than happy to spot up in the corner and make wide-open shots while also hustling in transition.
Kyle Kuzma offers excellent insurance for the Sacramento Kings with PF/C Marvin Bagley III succumbing to numerous injuries during his young NBA career.
Bagley is without a doubt an exciting player for the future, he has been very unlucky with injuries to begin his career. It makes sense for the Kings to bring in additional help.
Adding Kyle Kuzma to the roster allows for Bagley to heal up properly and not rush back.
In Kuzma, the Kings get a young player who still has untapped potential who simply needs a change of scenery. Kuzma who won a championship with the Lakers last season is considered to be a tireless worker and a great teammate.
Kuz gives the Kings a player who has no problem starting or coming off the bench and being equally effective. This is ideal for when Bagley comes back as Kyle will be sent to the bench and still be able to play at a high level.
His playoff experience, his floor spacing, his improved passing ability, and his defense to go along with position versatility give the Kings a useful player to have on the roster.
The 22nd overall pick is a throw-in which gives the Kings another swing at landing a player that might help their roster going forward. They could even use the pieces the Lakers have given them to move up in the draft.
They currently have the 9th pick in the draft, if they could trade 9,22 and a piece for say the 5th pick and land G League Ignite Small forward prospect Jonathan Kuminga who can be a useful piece for the Kings moving forward, adding to an already exciting young core that includes De’Aaron Fox, Tyrese Haliburton and of cour Marvin Bagley III.
This trade would give the Kings experienced players and a young prospect on cheap contracts in the long term.
A win-win situation for the Kings and Lakers.
So after trading for Hield, what does Buddy Hield bring to Lakersnation?
Buddy Hield gives the Los Angeles Lakers a knockdown shooter
If there is one thing you can guarantee that Buddy Hield is going to do for a team, he is going to shoot the 3-Ball. With an absurd career 3-point percentage of 40.6%, he gives the Lakers one of the most lethal 3-point marksmen in the entire NBA.
His marksmanship from the 3-point line is so lethal that if left open all the time, he has the potential to go for 25 a night.
Next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, he will be given even more room. Currently, on the Sacramento Kings, Hield has nobody on the team who requires a significant amount of attention from a game-to-game basis. Each and every game LeBron James or Anthony Davis will be doubled and sometimes tripled. On that day, Buddy Hield will cook
Last season, Danny Green spoke on numerous occasions about never having gotten better looks in his entire career. This should make the Lakers and Hield extremely happy.
With his absurd 3-point percentage, Buddy Hield is not afraid to launch it. This season alone, Hield threw up 10.2 3-point attempts per game. Fearlessness to shoot when things aren’t going well is going to be appreciated in LA.
Hield on the right team, with stars beside him, has the potential to hit the 3-point shot for the Lakers at an even more efficient clip.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, landing Hield goes a long way to solving a huge problem they have this past season which was the inability to consistently shoot it well from beyond the arc.
While Hield may not be the savior for the Lakers in this regard, he is a monumental step in the right direction.
Buddy Hield gives the Los Angeles Lakers a third consistent scorer
Buddy Hield might not put up Bradley Beal or Steph Curry numbers on a nightly basis, he may not possess the upside of Devin Booker or Trae Young but Hield will consistently knock down shots and will always be a consistent scorer when you need him.
After the season the Los Angeles Lakers just had, consistent sounds perfect to them.
The Lakers well and truly put themselves in the best position to win last season. They addressed some serious needs within the roster that would allow for them to go back to back and surpass the Boston Celtics in championships won.
Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, Wes Matthews, Andre Drummond, and Dennis Schröder were all drafted in to help the championship effort alongside some of the mainstays in the championship squad from last season.
Lakersnation was thrilled with the acquisitions. Montrezl Harrell was the reigning 6th man of the year, Marc Gasol a stretch 5 who is arguably one of the best passing big men in the NBA. Wes Matthews a craft veteran who can score from the 3-point line and who is a tenacious defender.
Andre Drummond, a double-double machine who has set the standard for rebounders over the course of his tenure in the NBA, and finally Dennis Schröder, the lightning-quick point guard the Lakers haven’t had for over 20 years who could be the secondary playmaker for the team.
MORE: Why a Dennis Schroder sign-and-trade is bound to happen
Things on paper looked like they were about to explode upwards for the Lakers. That did not happen.
Each of the above had an inconsistent season and even more inconsistent playoffs.
With Buddy Hield potentially coming into the mix, you are getting a player who, unlike the above-named players, Hield’s statistics have not waivered. His worst 3-point shooting season came in his rookie year when he shot 36.9%!!!
If that is the worst the Lakers are getting then they will take that with both hands and run.
Buddy Hield’s intangibles
Another important factor for the acquisition of Buddy Hield. He doesn’t miss many games. That is a huge factor for the purple and gold that would be an added bonus.
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis nearly missing a full season of games between the two of them, having a scorer capable of scoring 20PPG available to play every single night would be ideal for a team that has struggled for a 3rd scorer even when they have made all the right moves in order to get additional scoring.
Hield is a huge step in the right direction.
Hield has improved hugely as a defender. Once considered a defensive liability, the sharpshooter is now considered an average defender that is capable of making plays on defense.
With defensive-minded coaches such as Frank Vogel and Lionel Hollins, they have the ability to help Hield improve as a defender. Vogel has shown over the past two seasons that he is capable of getting the best out of his players defensively.
If Vogel can work with Hield and have him become a plus defender then the Lakers will be in a really strong position going forward.
Buddy Hield has also improved significantly as a playmaker. While he will never be Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook in this regard, he is starting to make the additional pass to his teammates.
While the Lakers will largely be asking Hield to catch and shoot, he will also need to understand the Laker’s way. Pass up a good shot for a great shot. He is more than capable of making the added pass and on a championship roster, it won’t be too hard to get Hield to buy into the Laker’s way.
An added benefit to trading for Buddy Hield is that his contract was front-loaded, meaning that each year his cap hit decreases meaning that the Lakers get additional wiggle room to add to the roster each of the seasons he is on the team. Hields cap hit this past season was $24.9m. His cap hit next season will be $22.9m. In 2023/24, the final year of his deal, Hield will cost the Lakers $19m.
Alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Buddy Hield has the potential to do really well for the purple and gold. The added attention opposing defenders must give to AD and LeBron will give Hield significantly easier shots than he is used to.
It would not be a shock if Hield, on the Lakers was able to average 20+ points a night.
Hield puts the Lakers in a great position to succeed.
Can the Lakers and Kings make a deal? Only time will tell.