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Ranking the Lakers’ minimum contracts by likelihood of being traded

By Jason Reed

TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 07: Juan Toscano-Anderson #95 of the Los Angeles Lakers grabs a loose ball against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on December 7, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - DECEMBER 07: Juan Toscano-Anderson #95 of the Los Angeles Lakers grabs a loose ball against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on December 7, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

1. Juan Toscano-Anderson

Juan Toscano-Anderson was part of the Klutch wave for Los Angeles and to be fair to the team, it seemed like a solid signing at the time. Toscano-Anderson was coming from the Golden State Warriors, who notoriously maximize role players. The hope was that JTA could carry some of that over with him in Los Angeles.

While he was coming off of a down season, Toscano-Anderson showed the previous year that he can be a really good three-point shooting role player that also plays solid defense. On paper, the best version of Toscano-Anderson is exactly the kind of player the Lakers should be signing.

But paper does not play basketball and Toscano-Anderson’s best-case scenario has not translated. Instead, he has continued his downwards trajectory, putting together an even worse season thus far than he had last year.

It got so bad that Toscano-Anderson quickly played himself out of the rotation (albeit he has been hurt recently). In only 10.4 minutes per game, Toscano-Anderson is averaging 2.2 points while shooting 18.2% from three. That is not a typo.

Sure, it is a small sample size and the Lakers might hope that he turns it around, but he is such an easy piece to move as he has no real impact on this team. He is an inconsequential minimum contract that a tanking team can take in return.

It would be best for Toscano-Anderson to be traded as well. He would have a bigger role on a tanking team and would have a chance to recoup his free-agent value.

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