The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to make some moves this offseason as they look to return to championship contender status. Coincidentally enough, the team that has eliminated them from the playoffs in two consecutive seasons, the Denver Nuggets, could also be looking to make some changes after a second-round playoff exit this year.
In the first-round series between the Lakers and Nuggets, arguably the biggest difference was Michael Porter Jr.
Porter averaged 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in the series while shooting a ridiculous 48.8% from 3-point range. But Porter also has a big contract with three more guaranteed years at nearly $115 million.
As such, if the Nuggets were to make a deal, Porter would be a logical candidate to move and get a lot back in return. And in the eyes of one Eastern Conference general manager, he is also the perfect type of player that could help make the Lakers a contender, via Sean Deveney of Heavy.com:
“If they want to get better, that is who they’d go after,” one Eastern Conference GM told Heavy Sports. “They need a gunner who is not afraid to shoot and they’d be much better off if he can be a 3-4 like LeBron, if he is not a size mismatch. A knockdown shooter who creates space, that’s the first step to getting them back to contender status again.”
A high-quality role player like Porter would be an excellent addition without a doubt. His size, shooting and rebounding would be a great fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But of there is the question of what would the Lakers have to send out in a trade.
The deal suggested in this particular piece would see Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Jalen Hood-Schifino sent to the Nuggets in exchange for Porter. It is unclear whether the Lakers would be open to that, in particular with Reaves. The Lakers have been hesitant to include him in any trade and it would seem like it would have to be a star player coming in return for the franchise to be willing to part with the guard.
But the idea of focusing on a top role player like Porter, as opposed to a star player, may be the route to go if the Lakers plan on making a leap next season.
Previous Lakers trade target Bruce Brown expected to be dealt this offseason
To that point, the Lakers have previously been linked to one of those types of role players, and someone else who has hurt them in the postseason, Bruce Brown of the Toronto Raptors.
The Lakers tried to sign Brown last summer and trade for him prior to the trade deadline. And now, he could apparently be on the move again this offseason. A recent report stated that Brown is likely to be dealt by the Raptors this summer, and it wouldn’t be crazy to think the Lakers would still be interested in bringing him in.
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