The Los Angeles Lakers may be 5-10, which is the fifth-worst mark in the NBA, but it is starting to look like their roster is better than that record would indicate.
They’re riding a three-game winning streak and are coming off a 123-92 blowout victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Their role players are starting to give them consistently strong play.
However, by no means are they championship contenders.
It has been clear for a while that L.A. would need a trade or two to even come close to becoming contenders, and it is unclear if such trades will ever present themselves before the trade deadline on Feb. 9, 2023.
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report proposed a three-team whopper that would likely catapult the Lakers into contender territory.
Via Bleacher Report:
“The following is legal before December 15, when most recently signed free agents are eligible for trade. The parameters could shift in a month with additional names potentially in play:
- The Lakers trade Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and two future first-round picks (2027 and 2029).
- The Brooklyn Nets trade Kyrie Irving to the Los Angeles Lakers.
- The Detroit Pistons trade Bojan Bogdanović, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Outside of L.A., the “who gets what” is subjective based on what the Nets prioritize most. They could swap out Irving for Westbrook or take on the Lakers’ lower-priced role players for significant luxury tax savings.”