The Los Angeles Lakers, like the other 29 teams in the National Basketball Association, are on the cusp of an incredibly rapid and expensive offseason period. The Lakers are likely to address their backcourt last season, which was far from a traditional backcourt unit, relying heavily on the playmaking of LeBron James more than any team LeBron has ever been on before. James led the league in assists with a career-high 10 assists per game. But with the next season coming so quickly after the Lakers grueling bubble run to a championship, bringing in some additional playmaking and scoring seems like a necessity.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers are once again showing interest in Oklahoma City Thunder point guard and 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year finalist Dennis Schröder. Here’s what Shelburne said on ESPN’s Sedano and LZ show about the team’s interest in the German guard, as transcribed by SB Nation’s Harrison Faigen.
“The Lakers called about Schroder at the trade deadline, so they have interest in him.I think they’ve called now. You can’t make any trades now, or yet, that’s going to come next week. Yeah, they definitely have interest in him. It’s just, what does Sam Presti think he can get for him, and what is the maximum value? Do they have the best offer? … 28 (the 28th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft) and Danny Green? Does that work? Pick No. 28 and Danny Green? Maybe. I think there are better offers, but we’ll see what Sam Presti thinks.”
Green is probably the low-end of what the Thunder would ask for, especially considering the massive difference in age between Green and the rest of their core. However, he is on an expiring contract at the end of next season. Our own Moke Hamilton of ThunderWire pitched a trade for the Lakers and Schröder involving Kyle Kuzma only a few weeks ago.
Between rumors about Schröder and San Antonio’s DeMar DeRozan, it seems pretty clear the Lakers are targetting some additional playmaking help for LeBron James, especially to start the season after the shortest offseason lay-off in league history.
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