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Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press
The Los Angeles Lakers lost again on Wednesday, falling 107-105 to the Portland Trail Blazers. Los Angeles now sits in ninth place in the Western Conference, a far cry from where the Lakers thought they would be when the season began.
Injuries have been part of the problem, along with a lack of team chemistry. LeBron James, Anthony Davis and offseason acquisition Russell Westbrook haven’t meshed and have only sporadically played together.
Will the Lakers look to revamp the roster at or before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline? They certainly aren’t going to rule it out.
“If you have an opportunity to get better, no one turns that down,” James told reporters when asked about the deadline.
What’s the latest trade buzz surrounding Los Angeles on deadline day? Let’s take a look.
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John McCoy/Associated Press
Los Angeles came into the season believing it could compete for a championship. Trading for Westbrook was supposed to help L.A. rotate its superstars and keep them fresh and healthy. Things haven’t played out that way, and the entire roster has struggled to establish chemistry.
Tight defense and good complementary basketball have eluded the Lakers more often than not this season.
The Lakers have now lost six of their last eight games, and according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, they’re starting to recognize that this group isn’t going anywhere in the postseason.
“Tuesday’s loss to the Bucks caused a harsh realization within the Lakers’ locker room of just how much the current roster is not working, sources told ESPN,” McMenamin wrote. “Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka will be tasked with turning that tide.”
Presumably, the Lakers will look to turn the tide by tweaking the roster at or after (via buyout) the trade deadline.
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David Zalubowski/Associated Press
The problem for Los Angeles at the deadline is that the team is light on trade capital. 21-year-old Talen Horton-Tucker might be Los Angeles’ best young trade chip, and his value is reportedly minimal right now.
“League insiders have indicated that Talen Horton-Tucker and perhaps the team’s 2027 first-round pick are on the table at the deadline,” Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times wrote. “But my sources tell me the appetite for Horton-Tucker is low, with one experienced league source even calling the 21-year-old a player with a ‘bad contract.'”
However, Los Angeles might have found a way to unload Horton-Tucker via a three-team trade. According to Michel Scotto of HoopsHype, the Lakers have discussed a deal involving the Toronto Raptors and the New York Knicks.
“Sources: The Lakers, Knicks and Raptors have discussed a 3-team trade,” Scotto tweeted. Lakers get Cam Reddish and Alec Burks. Knicks get Goran Dragic and draft picks. Raptors get Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel. There’s also a chance Kendrick Nunn is added to the trade as talks continue.”
Reddish and Burks might not represent the headline-grabbing additions some fans are hoping to see. However, they’d help shake up a roster that simply isn’t working now.
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Ringo H.W. Chiu/Associated Press
The Lakers may not be done making moves after the deadline either. While acquiring new pieces is part of the equation, Los Angeles also seems to clear some contracts off the payroll.
According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha and Bill Oram, the Lakers are hoping to remove the contracts of DeAndre Jordan and Kent Bazemore at or after the deadline:
“Other than trying to move Horton-Tucker and/or Nunn, the next-most likely move for the Lakers would be dumping the contract of one of DeAndre Jordan or Kent Bazemore, either via trade or buyout, according to league sources. The goal would be to both save money on their $150-plus million cap sheet and to create an additional roster spot, according to league sources.”
Neither Jordan nor Bazemore has been a significant contributor this season. Jordan has averaged just 12.9 minutes in 31 appearances, while Bazemore has averaged 14.7 minutes in 31 games. Having depth is nice, but both players can be viewed as expendable.
Clearing a roster spot could also be huge. Other players around the league will inevitably receive buyouts too, and Los Angeles will likely look to add one who fits the roster better than Jordan and Bazemore currently do.
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