Gary Trent Jr. – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Could Gary Trent Jr. be a target for the Lakers this offseason?

The Lakers could use a 3-and-D wing, and perhaps Gary Trent Jr. would fit the bill.

Ever since the midseason trades that salvaged their year, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a very good team. But very good simply wasn’t good enough: They were swept in the Western Conference finals by the Denver Nuggets.

Very good also isn’t good enough for a franchise that has won 17 NBA championships and measures success by whether it wins it all at the end of a season.

Aside from a home-run move such as acquiring Kyrie Irving, perhaps their biggest need is a 3-and-D wing who can contain star guards, such as Denver’s Jamal Murray, while consistently hitting from the outside on the other end.

The Toronto Raptors’ Gary Trent Jr. seems to fit that description, and Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale suggested he could be an ambitious target for L.A. this summer.

Via Bleacher Report:

“There are levels to how aggressive the Los Angeles Lakers can get in free agency. … Targeting a higher-end shooter who can disrupt on defense, even if he over-gambles, via sign-and-trade is aggressive enough. The Lakers should have the wiggle room to fit Hachimura, Reaves and Gary Trent Jr. under the hard cap.”

Could Trent be the final piece for the Purple and Gold?

Lakers targeting several players ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline

After missing out on Kyrie Irving, the Lakers are doing their due diligence on a potential trade as the NBA’s deadline approaches.

Now that trading for Kyrie Irving is off the table after all these months, the Los Angeles Lakers can finally move forward with the monumental task of upgrading a somewhat talented but porous roster with less than 72 hours before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

They badly need accurate 3-point shooting, and given their recent struggles on the defensive end, they could use some help in that department as well.

If they do make a deal, what type of deal will it be? Will they go for a true big man, a big wing, a small wing or a ball-handling guard?

The Los Angeles Times’ Dan Woike reported the team has several specific players it could be looking to acquire.

Via Los Angeles Times:

“Toronto guards Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr., Atlanta guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, Detroit forward Bojan Bogdanovic (who the Pistons repeatedly have said isn’t available unless they’re blown away by an offer), Charlotte guard Terry Rozier and Utah guard Mike Conley all are viewed as possible trade targets depending on how the market shakes out between now and Thursday.”

None of these players would be ideal additions, although a few could significantly move the needle for L.A.

Both men named Bogdanovic would represent an upgrade in 3-point shooting, even if they wouldn’t add much of anything on the defensive end. Bojan Bogdanovic, in particular, would be a massive improvement in the outside shooting department while giving the team a legitimate third scoring option.

Rozier and VanVleet have been potent guards for the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors, respectively, but their shooting percentages are way down this season, which means they could actually hurt the Lakers in terms of 3-point accuracy.

Conley, who is 35 years of age, appears to be in decline, and his 3-point shooting accuracy has decreased this season.

Trent could be a very nice acquisition for the Lakers, however, as he has a reputation for being a legit 3-and-D player. At 6-foot-5 and 209 pounds, he can play the 3 at times, and he is shooting a respectable 37.3% from downtown on 7.1 attempts a game this year.

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Raptors: The case for running it back… or blowing things up

The Raptors continue to have a mediocre season. They are 20-24 and currently tied for the last play-in spot in the East. There is still some hope they can turn it around since they’re 15th in net rating for the year, suggesting that they’ve been underperforming to some degree. After winning 48 games last season with mostly the same team, they should be better than this but they may not get back to that same level.

Even if the Raptors manage to turn things around it appears that this iteration of the core is not a championship contender as is. Since 2019, they’ve won one playoff series and have slowly seen several core players from that group leave. They could be at a crossroads with their starters since they are all due for raises as soon as this offseason or the next. Some tough decisions could be coming soon in Toronto.

Here is a look at the Raptors’ long-term cap outlook if they continue to run this group and what a retool or rebuild could look like.

Lakers may be interested in Gary Trent Jr.

The Lakers are among a few teams that reportedly have interest in Raptors swingman Gary Trent Jr.

The Los Angeles Lakers have rebounded nicely after a 2-10 start, but a couple of tough losses lately have highlighted areas they need to improve on.

They need help at the wing and forward spots, as well as improved 3-point shooting.

In recent days, they have been linked to a number of players who could help with those needs, and now there is a new one: Gary Trent Jr.

Via Lakers Daily:

“Gary Trent Jr. can fill some of those holes, and it seems that they are among the teams who could reportedly be interested in acquiring the Toronto Raptors shooting guard.

“‘Trent (almost 24) would fit with any team looking to add a wing scorer who can defend,’ wrote Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. ‘The (Phoenix) Suns, Lakers, (Golden State) Warriors, (Atlanta) Hawks and (Miami) Heat could be interested.'”

Trent, a 6-foot-5 swingman, has been known as someone who can score, hit from 3-point range and defend a little bit.

However, his 3-point shooting is down so far this season. A career 38.3% shooter from that distance, Trent is hitting just 33.5% of his attempts from beyond the arc this year.

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Bleacher Report mocks a pair of pre-training camp Thunder trades

Should the Thunder make either deal?

Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley recently published an article that listed one trade idea for all 30 NBA teams before training camp kicks off next month.

For the Oklahoma City Thunder, they were involved in two trades. One brought in Gary Trent Jr. while another sent out Kenrich Williams.

The Thunder will be entering another rebuilding season with the youngest roster in the league. Without their top draft pick, it’s hard to see them compete for a playoff spot and it will likely be another season where all eyes will be on the lottery odds.

Let’s take a look at both trades and the justifications for them.

Could Lakers target Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr. in a trade?

The Toronto Raptors’ Gary Trent Jr., a young and productive two-way wing, could be a trade target for the Lakers.

Positionally, the biggest need for the Los Angeles Lakers could be productive 3-and-D wings.

That is the name of the game in today’s NBA, as the league has gotten smaller and faster-paced over the past dozen years or so.

The Lakers appear to be willing to move at least one of their more productive players in order to acquire a wing who would move the needle.

Talen Horton-Tucker has been rumored to be trade bait, and he reportedly has real value around the league.

Guard Kendrick Nunn is another Laker who could be on the move should an opportunity present itself, and of course, Russell Westbrook would be the Lakers’ biggest asset on the trade market depending on how much interest there is in him.

According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, an Eastern Conference executive feels L.A. could go after the Toronto Raptors’ Gary Trent Jr. via trade.

Via Heavy.com:

“The pick is the key thing, if the Raptors think that pick is going to be valuable, and it might very well be, then it makes some sense,” the executive said. “Horton-Tucker and Nunn, you assume he is going to play again and be a pretty good bargain. The Raptors like Horton-Tucker, remember they wanted him in the Kyle Lowry deal that fell through with the Lakers. It is hard to say what kind of future Trent is going to have there, if they’ll pay him. So if they can get assets back now, it is something to explore.”

Kevin Porter Jr. continues scoring binge in Houston’s close loss to Pascal Siakam, Raptors

Kevin Porter Jr. scored a combined 71 points in Houston’s final two road games of the season, including 35 on Friday in Toronto, but it still wasn’t quite enough to get a win.

Kevin Porter Jr. followed up a 36-point outburst Tuesday in Brooklyn with 35 points and 10 rebounds on Friday in Toronto. The third-year guard shot 12-of-23 from the field (52.2%) and 4-of-9 on 3-pointers (44.4%).

Unfortunately for the Rockets (20-61), it still wasn’t quite enough to get a win in Friday’s 117-115 loss (box score) to the Raptors (48-33). Houston led by as much as 24 points in the first half, but Pascal Siakam (29 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists) and Gary Trent Jr. (26 points, 5-of-8 on 3-pointers) gradually led the playoff-bound Raptors back.

Porter’s backcourt mate, Jalen Green, saw his historic NBA rookie streak of five straight games with 30 or more points end with a bit of a thud, scoring just 8 points on 3-of-10 shooting (30.0%). Fellow rookies Josh Christopher (20 points, 75% FG, 4 assists) and Alperen Sengun (17 points, 58.3% FG, 3 assists) each picked up the slack, though Sengun’s attempt at a tying shot in the final second came up just short.

As has become customary in the waning days of the 2021-22 regular season, veterans Eric Gordon, Dennis Schroder, and Christian Wood continued to sit out for rest purposes. With the loss, Houston secured at least a tie in the race for the NBA’s worst record and the No. 1 positioning slot entering the 2022 draft lottery. They can earn that spot outright with a loss in Sunday’s season finale (at home versus Atlanta).

Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction from Friday.

Kevin Porter Jr. sets another season-high, but surging Raptors blast Rockets

Kevin Porter Jr. (30 points) set another season-high and shot very well, but Gary Trent Jr. and the surging Raptors had too much offense as a team in Houston. Here’s what we learned postgame.

Third-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. continued his run of strong play with another season-high scoring total, but it wasn’t enough to win on Thursday at Toyota Center versus one of the NBA’s hottest teams.

Led by 42 points from Gary Trent Jr. and 30 points by Pascal Siakam, Toronto (31-23) won its eighth straight game and continues to own the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference — enough to make the playoffs without having to go through the play-in tournament.

For a second straight game, Kevin Porter Jr. (30 points, 8 assists) set a new season-high in scoring for the young and rebuilding Rockets (15-40). “KPJ” was efficient in doing so, making 11-of-16 shots overall (68.8%) and 6-of-9 from 3-point range (66.7%), but it wasn’t enough to make up for Houston’s lethargic defense in a 139-120 home loss (box score).

Backcourt mate Jalen Green scored an efficient 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting (53.8%) and 3-of-6 on 3-pointers (50.0% FG), while Christian Wood had a well-rounded game with 17 points (50.0% FG), 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks. For the big man, there was clearly some relief after making it through the trade deadline and staying in Houston.

The Rockets also weren’t helped by 21 turnovers, with many coming courtesy of a full-court press that the Raptors frequently ran when Porter was not on the floor and Houston did not have a clear point guard. Head coach Stephen Silas noted postgame that the trade deadline acquisition of veteran guard Dennis Schroder might help that dynamic.

Scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction from Thursday night. The Rockets will now have a few days off before starting a three-game Western Conference road trip on Monday in Utah.

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OKC Thunder news: Bleacher Report lists off three potential trade targets for Thunder along with trade destinations for veterans

The Thunder were gifted with three possible trade targets along with trade destinations for Kenrich Williams and Mike Muscala by @BleacherReport

Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz released an article that listed the top three trade candidates for all 30 NBA teams. The trade deadline is 17 days away on Feb. 10.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will probably be sellers this deadline as playoff contenders will call in to see the price of Kenrich Williams, the 27-year-old is averaging 7.1 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 38.2 percent from three in 39 games. Williams’ is also on a cheap contract, as he has a non-guaranteed two million dollar salary for the 2022-23 season that will easily be picked up.

Trading Williams makes sense on in a vacuum. But his recent comments to The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto about wanting to stay in Oklahoma City and retire in a Thunder uniform has made things a bit complicated as the human element plays a role — especially with how his teammates and Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault continuously praise him.

With all that said, let’s take a look at the three trade targets Swartz thinks the Thunder should target along with other team’s targets that involve a Thunder player.

NBA weekly awards: Jarrett Allen, Gary Payton II and more

HoopsHype chooses major award winners for the week in the NBA world, headlined this week by Jarrett Allen as MVP.

It’s time for the second edition of our NBA weekly awards series, where we pick a winner for every top accolade, from weekly MVP to Coach of the Week.

This week has a very Cleveland Cavaliers flavor to it, as two young Cavs frontcourt players made their way onto our ranking.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in.