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The 3 most likely minimum contracts the Lakers will include in a trade

By Jason Reed

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 28: Head coach Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter of the game at Target Center on October 28, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 111-102. 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 David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 28: Head coach Darvin Ham of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter of the game at Target Center on October 28, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 111-102. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers have been playing good basketball of late and it has given fans hope about how high this ceiling could potentially be. If the front office is smart and makes the right additions, the Lakers could realize a ceiling that fans never thought possible this season.

A Russell Westbrook trade seems very unlikely for several reasons but there is another route for LA to consider. The team is reportedly considering shopping a package of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn, a future first and a minimum contract to see what they can get.

Beverley and Nunn are no-brainers to trade because of their contracts and the fact that they’ve both been wildly disappointing this season. But then the question becomes which minimum contract the Lakers would look to attach in the deal.

The 3 most likely minimum contracts the Lakers will include in a trade:

3. Max Christie

Max Christie is the least likely of the three candidates but he still likely is not off the table. Even though the Lakers just drafted him in 2022, the team would trade him if the price was right and they absolutely needed to.

Los Angeles does not have many young assets so if they can include Christie in a deal to either lessen the draft capital that they need to send (or add more protections) then they would do it in a heartbeat. It is not like Christie has that much of an impact on this year’s team.

The fact of the matter with Christie is that he is so young and raw as a player that it is going to be several years until he blossoms. By the time that happens, Christie might not even be on the Lakers anymore, to begin with.

With that logic, the Lakers would not rule out trading Christie in a potential deal. Los Angeles likely isn’t outright shopping their 2022 second-round pick but he definitely is not off the table, either.

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