Laker trade talk 2011 is heating up and Chris Broussard of ESPN is the one fanning the flames. One of the hottest trade rumors being bandied about by Broussard is the Denver Nuggets trading NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony for Laker center Andrew Bynum. The proposed trade has not be substantiated by anybody in the Laker brass and the local Laker beat writers such as Kevin Ding of the O.C. Register are reporting that no plans to move Bynum are in the works for the Lakers.
Every year around this time trade rumors ranging from reasonable to completely ridiculous run rampant on sports TV shows, sports talk radio, and especially and probably most irresponsibly, on the internet. All it takes is a Twitter account, an imagination and an unnamed source to get one of these rumors to go viral.
What we usually end up with once we pass the trading deadline and all of the dust settles is either inaction or minimal player movement involving some of the lesser known players in the NBA. Major blockbuster trades are just too hard to assemble and complete with all the complexities of the cap, trading guidelines and negotiation process; therefore, we seldom see these big trades come to fruition.
The Lakers currently stand half a game behind Dallas for 2nd in the West and are just one modest winning streak away from catching the other teams ahead of them outside of San Antonio; for this reason, and because of the rarity of blockbuster trades, I don’t see a major shake up with the Laker current roster prior to the deadline.
A smaller and more realistic acquisition can be had by the Lakers by them utilizing the $5.48 million dollar trade exception they acquired in the Sasha Vujacic for Joe Smith trade earlier this year. They wouldn’t need to involve a third or fourth team to complete some elaborate trade. It would simply take another team to want to unload a player’s contract straight up for the $5.48 million trade exception from the Lakers. The other team is free of the commitment for their player, will save money, and the Lakers get a piece that will hopefully fit nicely in their championship puzzle.
Here are a list of players that make no more than S5.58 million (which is the most that a player can make to qualify for the trade exception) this season and have at least one more year on their contract making them an attractive contract to dump.
Also, I named players that can help with some of the Lakers areas of weakness such as athleticism, outside shooting, guarding the quick points and/or lack of youthfulness.
Next: Help from the Kings?
Francisco Garcia, F, Sacramento Kings
How he could help the Lakers: At 6’7 he can fill the back up small forward spot left open by Matt Barnes since his injury. Francisco is not the pesky defender that Barnes is but is a far better shooter. He is a career 37 percent 3-point shooter and is currently doing a little better than that this year. He could help space the floor and give room for both for the bigs down low by having a legit shooter out on the perimeter.
Why the Kings would trade him for nothing? He just turned 30 in December and is under contract for two more seasons. The Kings are currently in their youth movement phase and don’t have much of a need for veterans at this point. Francisco would be past his prime when their core young players like Demarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans would expect to evolve into NBA stars. The Kings would stand to save 17 million over 3 years by unloading Garcia for nothing.
Next: Cleaning house in Cleveland
Ramon Sessions, Guard, Cleveland Cavilers
How he could help the Lakers: Sessions has two things that the current Laker rotation lacks, quickness and youth. The Cleveland point guard makes his living getting by defenders by using speed and finishing around the basket. He can get to the line where he shoots a very respectable 78 percent for his career. He automatically upgrades the Lakers’ defense in the perimeter as he has both the quick feet to guard troublesome small and quick points like Tony Parker and is still big enough at 6’3 to guard the bigger points such as Deron Williams.
Or
Daniel Gibson, Guard, Cleveland Cavilers
How he could help the Lakers: Daniel, or as he is known by some, Boobie, Gibson could potentially provide the Lakers with a pure shooter that could flourish in the triangle in the same way as a Steve Kerr or John Paxson did back in the Bull championship runs of the 90s. His long range prowess has earned him the honor of being named to his 2nd three point shootout this coming All-Star weekend. Gibson is incredibly aggressive from the outside as he has already put up over 180 3-point attempts, which is 30 more than Shannon Brown who leads the Lakers’ in 3-point attempts. He is shooting an amazingly efficient 44 percent from behind the arc this year after a career high of 47 percent last year in Cleveland.
Why the Cavs would trade him for nothing? I think its safe to say that after 25 losses in a row the Cavs have hit rock bottom. I don’t mean the bottom of the NBA standings but the lower bowels of the earth. Pretty much anybody on the Cavs roster should be up for grabs for anything that either provides draft picks or saves the Cavaliers money. I can’t find one player on their roster that is both young and talented enough to bother building around for the future.
Next: Sun setting in Phoenix
Hakim Warrick, Forward, Suns
How he could help the Lakers: Hakim is another option at replacing Matt Barnes in the rotation until he can return from injury. He is an athletic forward who can play both the 3 or the 4 depending on match-ups. He plays best when out on the open floor but can provide some scoring by beating guys off the dribble and getting to the hoop. With Hakim’s athletic ability and length he provides a defensive option for guarding the 3 position.
Why the Suns would trade him for nothing? The Suns are currently 10th in the west and have an aging superstar in Steve Nash. Their best case scenario for this season is fight tooth and nail to get the 8th playoff spot and then get obliterated by the Spurs in the first round. Considering the grim outlook for the Suns, being relieved of the remaining three additional years and almost 14 million dollars would be a smart business move.
Next: Explosive guard in Phily
Louis Williams, Guard, 76ers
How he could help the Lakers: A streaky but explosive scoring guard in a point guard’s body is currently backing up Jrue Holiday for the 76ers. As a starter you would ideally want someone more reliable and consistent; however, as a guy coming off the bench you can live with the roller coaster ride that Louis brings on a game to game basis when the highs are as prolific as his. His volatile nature was on display in early January when he shot a horrid 1 for 11 in a loss against the Hornets, only to come back two days later and play an almost flawless game in a win against the Wizards, shooting 7 for 10 from the field and scoring 26 points. He can provide the Lakers that injection of youth and energy that the second unit has been sorely missing since the early part of the season when they were meshing so well. Louis can also get up and throw down pretty hard on opponents, which would make him a pretty nice one, two show with the Lakers’ resident dunker, Shannon Brown.
Why the 76ers would trade him for nothing? This is probably the least likely of players that would be given up without getting some value in return. The 76ers are fully entrenched in the East playoff race and are trending upward. They are currently in the 7th spot and only 3 losses back from catching New York for the 6th. It wouldn’t seem that the 76ers would want to rock the boat at this point. However, Louis is owed more than 12 million for another two years and that can be a little pricey for someone playing behind lottery pick Jrue Holiday, who the 76ers drafted when already having Louis Williams on their roster. The 76ers management obviously didn’t feel that Louis Williams was the long-term answer if they felt the need to take another point guard in the draft.