Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons why LA should trade for Kemba Walker
Kemba Walker trade scenario
The Los Angeles Lakers will not hard cap themselves unless they get a deal that is beneficial for them. They will not pull the trigger on a move that lands them a player who could very well be past his best days unless they get something in return that makes the deal a lot more palatable.
For the Lakers to part with Schroder and Kuzma, the 18th pick in the 2021 NBA draft is essential. To a certain extent, the Los Angeles Lakers are doing the Thunder a favor.
They are taking Walker’s large contract off their hands and giving them 3 players who fill roster spots while also allowing them to still have significant cap space to be really aggressive in free agency while also bringing back some of their own free agents.
In Dennis Schröder, the Thunder gets back a player they are very familiar with who was very successful during his time with the Thunder. He was runner up for 6th man of the year behind Montrezl Harrell and he knows how to play Oklahoma City Thunder basketball. They lock him up for 3 years and give SGA a fellow guard to build alongside.
In Kyle Kuzma, the Thunder get a floor-spacing power forward who allows for the Thunder to move Aleksej Pokusevski to the center position when he finally adds some bulk to his rail-thin frame. Pokusevski and Kuzma would form a really interesting duo potentially for the Thunder with both capable of handling the ball and stretching the floor.
McKinnie would be included to make the money work and would more than likely be an end of bench player for the Thunder or even a piece they could include in a future deal themselves.
The Lakers part ways with two young talents and take on Walker’s bloated contract.
They should not do this unless the 18th overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft comes the other way to the Lakers.
The Lakers have a habit of finding diamonds in the rough ( Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr, Thomas Bryant, Kyle Kuzma, etc…) If the Lakers can continue to hit on draft picks, they would have two opportunities in the 2021 NBA draft to do so with the Lakers already holding the 22nd overall pick.
That is two roster spots filled at a cheap price with the 18th pick due to make $2.4m in year one and the 22nd pick making $2m. The Lakers part with three players, and replace the three players with Kemba Walker, the Thunders pick, and their own pick.
By no means the perfect home run deal for the Lakers but a move that could potentially land them two future players who they could draft and turn into stars.
The Thunder gets younger and has pieces that they can build around and work with long-term. The Lakers get a win-now piece in Kemba Walker who can easily slot in and be what the Lakers need him to be.
Here are 3 reasons why the Lakers should make this trade and what Kemba Walker brings to the table.