The Los Angeles Lakers have some decisions to make with the March 25 trade deadline inching closer, and the defending champs could be looking to make some key upgrades to bolster a repeat effort.
Specifically, the Lakers could look to acquire some guard help, using their bevy of frontcourt depth — pieces like Montrezl Harrell or Kyle Kuzma — to facilitate a trade. Some names Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report whipped up as proposed trade targets were Wayne Ellington, George Hill and JJ Redick — veteran guards with the ability to hit from deep.
While the Lakers are among the most efficient teams in the league from 3-point land (38.8%), they don’t shoot a ton, with LeBron James leading the way with 2.8 taken per game. As a team, the Lakers are averaging just 30.9 shots from deep per game, good for 25th in the NBA.
Experience, Shooting Could go Long Way for Lakers
GettyJJ Redick of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Ellington, a former Laker, is an interesting target and would be a reliable shooter off the bench. He’s leading the NBA in 3-point percentage, hitting 38.8% of his shots from beyond the arc this season. In 24.2 minutes per game for the lowly Pistons, he’s averaging 13.4 points and 3.6 3-pointers made per game. Ellington is putting up 6.7 3-pointers per game.
“I can’t have enough good things to say about Wayne. Not just shooting – defense, he gets after it,” Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said. He leads with his energy. He’s the one in the huddle talking stops. So many things he brings to the table. More than you could put a finger on.”
Hill has experience playing alongside James from their time in Cleveland together and could be a strong presence in the Lakers’ second unit. Hill has missed some time with a thumb sprain but is coming off a season where he led the NBA in 3-point shooting (46%).
Redick would be a tremendous locker room presence for the Lakers and a change of scenery could do him good. The 36-year-old is averaging single-digit points (7.9) for the first time since 2009-10 season and has posted career-worst percentages from the field (36%) and from three (29.8%).
What Redick brings to the table is a wealth of playoff experience and a hunger to get back to the postseason stage. Redick saw his streak of 13 consecutive years in the playoffs broken last season.
LeBron James: ‘I Don’t Get Tired’
Luckily for the Lakers, they’ll be a contender as long as LeBron James is healthy. The ageless wonder has put himself firmly in the MVP conversation again and it doing it while playing a career-low in minutes.
The Lakers suffered an ugly loss to the Pistons on Thursday night, but James shook off the notion that he was tired on the second half of a back-to-back.
“I don’t get tired. I don’t feel tired,” he told reporters. “I get my sleep, I get my rest. I have a lot of energy. I don’t get tired. My mindset never gets to a point where it’s like ‘OK this is a long road trip I’m exhausted of I’m tired.’
“I don’t even think about that. We have our games, I’m ready to go. When we’re not playing I have the opportunity to rest and get my body back right, get my mind refreshed. I don’t get tired.”
Lakers Hoping to Stay Healthy in Repeat Effort
Getty ImagesKyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers had a strong offseason and have plenty of depth. However, Kuzma revealed the harsh reality that the pandemic and an outbreak within a team could change how the postseason looks.
“This season is much different because every game kind of matters when you’re talking about seeding,” Kuzma told reporters on Thursday, per Silver Screen and Roll. “Having an outbreak, especially in the West, could be the difference between finishing No. 2 and No. 6. And hopefully we don’t get to that point, but we kind of just are professional about it and stay safe and keep it simple.”
The Lakers have been lucky so far this season when it comes to COVID-19. The longest absence came early on when guard Alex Caruso was forced to miss five games because someone who tested positive stopped by his house.
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