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3 horrible trade mistakes the Los Angeles Lakers must avoid making

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 04: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to his charging foul during a 122-114 Los Angeles Lakers win over the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on January 04, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 04: Talen Horton-Tucker #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to his charging foul during a 122-114 Los Angeles Lakers win over the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center on January 04, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE /
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(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Trading future picks to get off of a contract

The Los Angeles Lakers were able to trade Rajon Rondo, essentially for free, to open up a roster spot that should be used on Stanley Johnson. After that Rondo trade, it was reported that the Lakers were also interested in trading Kent Bazemore and DeAndre Jordan in the same type of package.

However, shortly after that reported news I broke down why a Bazemore trade (and probably a Jordan trade too) does not make a lot of sense. The main reason is this: no other team in the league is going to value Bazemore in the same way that the Cavaliers valued Rondo.

The Cavs needed a ball-handling veteran who could help operate the offense with Ricky Rubio suffering a season-ending injury. No team needs what Bazemore is bringing to the table. Bazemore has been so awful this season that he has actively played his way out of the Lakers rotation.

Since no team necessarily wants Bazemore, the Lakers would likely have to attach a future asset alongside Bazemore in order to convince a team to take his salary on. That asset is not a big asset, it would just be a future second-round pick.

While second-round picks are typically not that impactful, the Lakers are not in a position to trade a future asset just to open up a roster spot for a player that probably won’t even have much of an impact. Plus, the team can still just outright release Bazemore or Jordan and just accept the tax penalties that will come with releasing them and signing a new contract.

Trading an asset to save a few million bucks for a multi-billion-dollar organization would be outlandish.

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