The Los Angeles Lakers are in dire need of upgrades to the roster after starting way short of expectations halfway through the season.
Missing Anthony Davis for over 17 straight games isn’t going to help, but the Lakers still have not played with enough energy and effort as they should.
The Lakers don’t have many viable paths to acquiring strong talent because Russell Westbrook’s acquisition this summer cost $44 million this season, with a looming $47 million player option for next year.
Los Angeles’ best potential trade package — at least financially — comprises Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and the 2027 first-round pick.
However, no team wants that offer just yet, according to Kevin O’Conner of The Ringer:
Having said that, the Lakers, who are sitting at 23-24 and in eighth place in the West, need to shake up this roster. They’re calling teams offering a future first, Kendrick Nunn, and Talen Horton-Tucker, who has underwhelmed this season, and no one is biting yet. Stein says they offered that package to Detroit for Jerami Grant. The Lakers’ problem is THT just isn’t valued highly enough by teams and that 2027 pick is a long time from conveying.
The key word here is “yet.” The trade deadline is still a few weeks away, so teams can change their minds down the line if no other suitable offer is made.
The Lakers exited the offseason thinking everything will turn out smooth with the roster construction, but that’s been far from reality more than halfway through the year.
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