9. Trading Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala
The 2019 trade deadline ended up being a disaster for the Lakers, and the biggest reason why was because they traded away a young talent with some upside, Ivica Zubac. If it was not bad enough that they traded a fan favorite to the in-town rival Clippers, they got back Mike Muscala, who gave them almost no production for the rest of the season.
Muscala was ultimately traded for because of the lack of perimeter shooting on the roster that was holding the offense back and causing spacing issues. However, when he arrived Muscala only ended up hitting 21 of his 57 3-point attempts as a Laker.
There was even more evidence that they wanted to add more reliable shooters when they traded another young player Svi Mykhailiuk for veteran sharpshooter Reggie Bullock to try to surround LeBron with more experienced players.
There were even reports after the trade deadline that Jerry West and the Clippers front office were surprised that the Lakers offered Zubac. Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reported in 2019 that,
"“Shortly after the trade deadline, Clippers consultant Jerry West — who spent more than 40 years with the Lakers as a player, coach and executive — got together for dinner with old friends who also had former Laker ties, sources said. He couldn’t believe how Zubac fell into his lap. The Clippers, sources said, never even called the Lakers to inquire about Zubac. The Lakers made the offer and the Clippers gladly accepted. Sources said those at the dinner table shared a hearty laugh at the Lakers’ expense.”"
Zubac is still playing for the Clippers and despite some up and downs, he has carved out a role in their rotation. He is still only 25 years old and is a quality piece of the Clippers’ strong young core including Luke Kennard and Terrance Mann who are both 25 as well.
The Lakers are 10 and three against the Clippers since they gifted them Zubac. Obviously, that record is barely influenced by the Zubac trade, but it is a good indication of who the better team has been head-to-head since the deal was made.
Even with the addition of LeBron to this roster, the Los Angeles Lakers ended up missing the playoffs by the end of the season Zubac was traded. They ultimately tried to gain more experience and surround LeBron with more veteran shooters to try to make a playoff run that never ended up happening.