The NBA trade deadline is right around the corner and the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to utilize the deadline to improve the team and hopefully pick up some momentum down the stretch. Anthony Davis is finally back from injury and for the first time all season, the Lakers are at 100%. They are still in the deep end, but there is at least some light at the end of the tunnel.
There are multiple things that are wrong with this team that all stem from the front office’s decision-making in the offseason. One of the biggest issues that the Lakers have is they are one of the worst defensive teams in the league.
The team’s defense is what made them so successful (besides having Anthony Davis and LeBron James) and this team has been a shell of its former self. After being one of the best defensive teams in the league over the last few years, the Lakers rank 27th in points allowed per game.
The Los Angeles Lakers should be targeting defensive help at the trade deadline.
The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have many assets to trade, especially considering that other teams don’t seem to be too interested in Talen Horton-Tucker as the prized piece in a package. Thus, the Lakers are going to have to get creative and get defensive help the cheap way.
The team is not going to land an Alex Caruso-level defender. But with players such as Trevor Ariza and Kent Bazemore dropping the ball defensively, the team can look to add a rotational defender to add value on that end of the court.
In the following pages, we will break down three potential cheap trade targets that would help on the defensive end.
1. Michael Carter-Williams
Michael Carter-Williams has not yet played a game for the Orlando Magic this season and that is why his trade value is going to be so cheap. While MCW wasn’t a super valuable trade asset before the season, the fact that he has not played is going to make it hard for Orlando to get a great return.
This would be an inherently risky move by the Los Angeles Lakers but for the cost, the team can afford to make it happen. The Lakers are going after a championship, after all, and if you can take a low-risk move like this that could have a high reward then you should do it every time.
Carter-Williams should return before the NBA Playoffs begin and he would add a nice defensive presence to the team. The Lakers are really lacking defensive wings and MCW would provide just that. This is a guy that just three years ago put up a 2.2 Defensive Box Plus/Minus. Those are Alex Caruso-level numbers.
If anyone can utilize his defensive ability and size it is Frank Vogel. I know it has been rough this season but he elevated Kyle Kuzma into being an average defender. He could do so much more with MCW.
Plus, Carter-Williams is also an asset offensively. He can’t play next to Russell Westbrook because he cannot shoot but he would be a decent secondary ball-handler with Westbrook off the floor. In moments where Westbrook and LeBron are both on the bench, MCW can run the offense with AD.
MCW is on an expiring deal worth $3.3 million. The Lakers could package two guys they want to trade (Bazemore, DeAndre Jordan) and a second-round pick for MCW. They get defensive help and another open roster spot.
2. Kenrich Williams
Michael Carter-Williams has the highest defensive ceiling of any cheap player that the Los Angeles Lakers could trade for before the trade deadline but because of his injury, he is not the “dream target”. The “dream” cheap target for the Lakers is Kenrich Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Williams might not have the defensive ceiling of MCW but he is an above-average defender that has posted a positive DBPM in all four of his professional seasons. Better yet, Williams can also shoot the three-ball and gives the Lakers a true three and D stretch four.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it would be for the Lakers to land a true three and D stretch four. That is something that exponentially helps the spacing of the floor and forces Anthony Davis to do what he should be doing already and play the five.
Williams, who is a bit short at six-six (that is fine in today’s game), is shooting 38.2% from beyond the arc this season and 41.7% combined with last season. He is not someone who is going to light up the box score but will average around eight a night with the Lakers, hitting a pair of threes and a two per game.
He is someone who the Lakers could legitimately play with all three members of the big three. The Lakers could run out a lineup of Westbrook, Stanley Johnson, LeBron James, Kenrich Williams and Anthony Davis. They have the defensive wings in Johnson and Williams that can shoot as well. This is the mold for how the Lakers should be building around these starts.
Williams is on a $2 million salary so the Lakers would only have to trade one contract (they could not trade anyone with the trade exception, but LA wants to move off a contract). The team would probably have to trade two second-round picks for Williams but at his price (with another year on his deal) it would more than be worth it.
3. Justise Winslow
If Justise Winslow played for any team other than the Los Angeles Clippers then it would be more likely that the Los Angeles Lakers could pry him away in a trade. However, because it is the Lakers’ cross-hall rivals, there could be hesitancy from the Clippers to help the Lakers.
However, there is a reality in which the Clippers continue to fall down the standings as they are one of the most banged-up teams in the league and they trade whatever assets they can. The Lakers are not going to get a top-tier role player from the Clippers but they could get someone like Winslow, who was thrown into a trade as averages just 11 minutes per game for the Clippers.
It is not like these two teams haven’t done business in the recent past. The Lakers made the horrible trade of flipping Ivica Zubac for Mike Muscala. Perhaps the Lakers could entice the Clippers with some second-round picks and a young player like Kendrick Nunn. Although Nunn has not played yet this season, the Clippers could value the ceiling of Nunn and take on the risk.
Regardless, if the Lakers were able to convince the Clippers of a Winslow trade then it would be great business. Winslow is not going to come at a high price but he is someone who can come off the bench and essentially and provide quality minutes as a defensive wing.
Winslow has a 1.5 DBPM this season in his limited playing time. His three-point shot has been really bad in recent years, which is going to hold him back and is why he would be so cheap, but the Lakers could put him in a lineup around Malik Monk and Wayne Ellington.