At 21-21, the Los Angeles Lakers look like a team that could be active around the trade deadline as they try to salvage their 2021-22 season.
The Lakers have gotten strong play from LeBron James the past month, but the team as a whole has largely struggled, which has put real doubt that they can turn into a championship-contending squad any time soon. Because they have largely underwhelmed, Los Angeles is primed for a trade and recent reports have already pegged them as a buyer.
So far, the Lakers have been linked to players like Myles Turner and Jerami Grant, but another name that made sense was Cam Reddish. R
eddish was eventually traded to the New York Knicks for Kevin Knox and a first round pick, but it appears the Lakers also tried to pry him away from the Atlanta Hawks, via Fred Katz and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic:
Atlanta was looking for something closer to the slot where it drafted him, No. 10 overall, but nothing materialized. The front office had conversations with the Pacers, Lakers, Cavaliers and Pistons over the past several months, sources say, but the Hawks were always waiting for that first-round pick for Reddish.
Recently, The Athletic learned that the Lakers had offered two second-rounders for Reddish. Still, the Hawks believed a team would eventually offer the first-round pick they sought.
Reddish has been rumored to be on the move for a couple of months because of the Hawks’ own struggles and his skillset as a wing would have been perfect for the Lakers. Los Angeles has been starved for more size on the perimeter and Reddish would have been a seamless fit next to the Big 3 of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook.
However, even though the Lakers may have missed out on Reddish, there are still targets for them to chase after in the coming weeks. At this point, it seems as though a move for L.A. is inevitable, but it remains to be seen who they can get with their limited assets.
Kent Bazemore and DeAndre Jordan on Lakers trade block
While adding talent is the first priority for the Lakers, their next focus should be to try and open up roster spots in the event someone becomes available via the buyout market. Kent Bazemore and DeAndre Jordan have been excised from the rotation and it appears the front office is willing to move the veterans to make room on the team.
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