The Los Angeles Lakers are undoubtedly closely monitoring the Andre Iguodala situation with the Memphis Grizzlies.
While the Lakers could use another wing with Iguodala’s skills, they are restricted in terms of tradable assets, which makes the possibility of acquiring him via trade unlikely.
The one hope for the Lakers was the Grizzlies would buy out Iguodala, which was the belief around the league when he was first dealt to Memphis. However, it would soon be reported the Grizzlies planned on trading Iguodala as there were certainly a number of teams interested in his services.
They were correct in that assessment and even though a trade has yet to take place, it is widely believed Iguodala will be dealt before the 2019-20 NBA trade deadline. According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, a Grizzlies executive once again reiterated that point:
“We will trade him, period,” an executive with the team said. “We’ve gone far enough into the structure of deals with more than one team to say that [confidently].”
One team that is emerging as one of the favorites for Iguodala is the Dallas Mavericks and a draft pick they own from the Golden State Warriors could be the key to making the deal happen:
Dallas projects to get the Golden State Warriors’ 2020 second-rounder (from the 2016 Andrew Bogut trade), which could end up as the 31st overall selection. That could be a key asset in the bidding war for Iguodala. One Western Conference executive called the Stein report “posturing,” saying, “They’re probably arguing over the Warriors’ pick.”
It is these types of assets the Lakers lack that are preventing them from dealing for someone like Iguodala or any number of players who could help them during the 2019-20 NBA season. The Lakers dealt away their 2021 and 2024 first round draft picks along with a 2023 pick swap in the Anthony Davis trade.
That trade also saw the Lakers deal away their 2022 second round pick. Their 2020 second round pick was traded to the Orlando Magic so they could select Talen Horton-Tucker in the 2019 NBA Draft while the 2021 second round pick was sent to the Detroit Pistons in the Reggie Bullock trade last season.
With a lack of draft assets and no large contracts to deal away aside from Danny Green who is a big part of the rotation, the team’s ability to improve through the trade market is severely limited. Memphis was smart to hold on to Iguodala as there would be a bidding war for him — one that the Lakers just can’t win.
