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Ranking the most likely Lakers players that will be traded this season

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena on January 09, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 09: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the fourth quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena on January 09, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

1. Talen Horton-Tucker

Talen Horton-Tucker is the only player that has legitimate trade value on the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James and Anthony Davis obviously do to but I don’t have to explain to you why the Lakers aren’t going to trade either of those players.

Unless the only moves the team makes are to free up roster spots to sign buyout players, THT is likely going to be the first player to go. All of those “lumped in” contracts get traded if THT gets traded. Nunn gets traded if THT is traded. THT is the focal point of any somewhat significant package that the Lakers make this season.

Is that a good thing? Depends on your perspective. On one hand, THT has a lot of potential and the Lakers didn’t trade him for Kyle Lowry last season (which let’s be honest, was a mistake). On the other hand, THT can opt-out of this deal after next season and the team might not even get to see his potential.

It could be similar to Julius Randle. If THT takes that next step next year, as Randle did in his last year for the Lakers, he could price himself out of LA and then realize his potential elsewhere. If that happens then the Lakers will feel foolish for not trading him.

Personally, whether you agree with it or not, I think the Lakers are going to trade him due to the sole fact that they are desperate. They were desperate enough to trade for Westbrook and that tells me they will be desperate enough to try anything to fix this.

Next. 50 greatest Lakers of all-time. dark

However, that is assuming a team takes a package headlined by THT. There are better packages out there for guys like Jerami Grant.

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