2 uber-cheap defensive trade targets for the Los Angeles Lakers to add
By Jason Reed
1. Maurice Harkless
The Los Angeles Lakers may have made a mistake by trading for Russell Westbrook instead of trading for Buddy Hield but the team can make it up by trying to trade for a decent defender in Maurice Harkless.
While the Kings are not going to want to help their Southern California rival get better, this is such a small package that the Kings would be silly to talk themselves out of getting an asset for Harkless, who is not raising the ceiling of that team at all.
Harkless signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Kings prior to the season so the Lakers would not only get a defensive addition this season, but would get someone that rolls over to next season. All the Lakers need to match is $4.5 million in salary, which with the trade exception, means the Lakers can trade one minimum player for Harkless.
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The Kings obviously are not going to take a Kent Bazemore for Maurice Harkless swap as that adds nothing to the team. The best-case scenario would be Harkless having no market whatsoever and the Lakers trading a minimum contract with a future second-round pick for Harkless.
If Harkless does have a market, it might take Austin Reaves or even Kendrick Nunn. If Nunn was traded then the Lakers could save the trade exception for another deal as well.
Harkless should not have much of a market as he is shooting terribly from beyond the arc this season. While that might seem to be a bad thing, the Lakers need more defense, not more shooters who cannot defend. He will naturally shoot better with LeBron James on the court and more importantly, will bring much better defense.