Trade Deadline thread: Nada... Nothing... Zip... WTF

[wco81]

I wanted to create a new thread but thought I'd ask here first

Is there a realistic way we could trade FOR

JASON TATUM

Celtics may eventually break up Tatum and Brown but not until at least after this season. If they don't make much headway in the playoffs, they may trade one of them if they can get a big return.

What would the Lakers have to give up though? Probably AD. Lebron is still a top 5 or top 10 player at age 37. He's under contract one more season after this one. I think he can still put up points, assists, rebounds, 2-3 years from now.

He may miss more and more games each successive season but when he's going downhill with force, a lot of times he's not going to be challenged because players will make business decisions.

So he can still be a good offensive player at age 40 or beyond. But that may or may not be enough to win more championships. For sure he's going to set all-time records, pass Kareem.

Would other teams throw a lot of assets to trade for him? Right now, towards the end of December, Cavs are better positioned than the Lakers and they're a team which could sorely use a SF. The only youth they might part with are Sexton (so they don't have to pay him), and Okoro or Markannen.

If the Cavs are still winning by the start of February, they might have to consider trading some combo of these young players (they're not going to trade Garland or Mobley) and maybe a FRP. Currently they hold the #23 pick and if by February their FRP is in mid 20s, that would absolutely be worth it to have still one of the best offensive SFs in the league. Bron might even play some defense for another shot at a ring.

But does he want to leave LA is the question.

And really, the players Cavs would trade for a 37 year old Bron won't necessarily make them better than they are now. More depth for them but is that worth giving up a still-effective Lebron?

Otherwise, if he hits free agency in the summer of 2023 at age 38.5 years, there will still be good demand for him. I would think the Lakers would be leery about letting him walk without any compensation so they would probably extend him during next season or whenever the window is for giving him another super max extension.

Atlanta could be another possible trade partner. They have to make decision soon on paying Hunter and Reddish and they haven't continued the playoffs run from the spring. So they are going to have to consolidate their young assets and probably need another star scorers alongside Trae. Their problems this season though are more on defense, not offense. Still, having Lebron would vault them up. Lakers could get at least two good starter-level young players, though I don't know if that necessarily improves them, other than giving them more depth.

Maybe Philly, pair him with Embiid there? Philly would obviously want to move Simmons and they might throw in some young players like Maxey or Milton. Good young depth would be the return but not an MVP-level player. Lebron can put up MVP numbers but he may not make the Lakers win enough.

[R-DAWG]

Not a Laker fan, but very interested in this topic. From a far, it seems highly unlikely that the Lakers will move Lebron or AD, and while they might want to move off Westbrook I don't see a desperation team at the moment. So I am a little more focused on the margins.

Wayne Ellington (flipped to a 3rd team), Kent Bazemore, DeAndre Jordan and 2 2nd rd picks for Justin Holiday

Justin Holiday might be a poor man's Danny Green, but that's exactly what the Lakers need. He has the size to defend both wing positions and shoots a league average 3 point percentage for his career. This would represent a big upgrade from Kent Bazemore, who was brought in to be the 3 and D starting wing (and was coming off a strong year in Golden State) but has played himself out of the rotation. Indiana is a rebuilding team who is already down net 2 2nd rd picks over the next 4 drafts, so this trade evens them out in that category.

Also, keep in mind, getting Kendrick Nunn back, plus by adding Holiday to the starting lineup and putting THT back off the bench, put the Lakers bench unit as it was designed entering the season back in play. The bench was designed to have 2 young guard who can space the floor in Nunn and Monk, Carmelo at the 4, Dwight at the 5, and THT as the lockdown wing defender. Nunn has yet to play in a regular season game and THT has been forced into the starting lineup, a role he isn't ready for yet, so brining both of those guys off the bench along with Monk, Carmelo and Dwight, all 3 of whom have played well in their roles, will help stabilize the team. Additionally the bench will still have Trevor Ariza and Avery Bradley, although one of them will end up starting until a stretch 5 buyout guy in brought in. Myers Leonard seems to be the guy that is a free agent that can play the role of 20 minute floor spacer allowing the team to limit AD's minutes at the 5.

Leonard/Howard
Davis/Anthony
James/THT/Ariza
Holiday/Monk/Bradley/Reaves
Westbrook/Nunn/Rondo

It all comes down to health, which from James to Davis, Nunn to THT to Ariza, the Lakers have struggled with this year. But if this group is healthy heading to the playoffs there's a real team here.

[SlimShady83]

I wanted to create a new thread but thought I'd ask here first

Is there a realistic way we could trade FOR

JASON TATUM

Celtics may eventually break up Tatum and Brown but not until at least after this season. If they don't make much headway in the playoffs, they may trade one of them if they can get a big return.

Someone suggested above...

AD, THT for TATUM maybe some others? I'd do that in a heart beat

But doubt that Bron wants to let go of AD and this pee's me off the most about him.

Then you'd have to try and trade Westbrook for someone, maybe Simmons, but doubt philly want him due to age? Although I believe wants to play fast and Westbrook would help with that??

Who knows what the future may hold, but TATUM is who I'd go after for sure.

[DNP-Old]

I wanted to create a new thread but thought I'd ask here first

Is there a realistic way we could trade FOR

JASON TATUM

No.

[stan francisco]

Not a Laker fan, but very interested in this topic. From a far, it seems highly unlikely that the Lakers will move Lebron or AD, and while they might want to move off Westbrook I don't see a desperation team at the moment. So I am a little more focused on the margins.

Wayne Ellington (flipped to a 3rd team), Kent Bazemore, DeAndre Jordan and 2 2nd rd picks for Justin Holiday

Justin Holiday might be a poor man's Danny Green, but that's exactly what the Lakers need. He has the size to defend both wing positions and shoots a league average 3 point percentage for his career. This would represent a big upgrade from Kent Bazemore, who was brought in to be the 3 and D starting wing (and was coming off a strong year in Golden State) but has played himself out of the rotation. Indiana is a rebuilding team who is already down net 2 2nd rd picks over the next 4 drafts, so this trade evens them out in that category.

Also, keep in mind, getting Kendrick Nunn back, plus by adding Holiday to the starting lineup and putting THT back off the bench, put the Lakers bench unit as it was designed entering the season back in play. The bench was designed to have 2 young guard who can space the floor in Nunn and Monk, Carmelo at the 4, Dwight at the 5, and THT as the lockdown wing defender. Nunn has yet to play in a regular season game and THT has been forced into the starting lineup, a role he isn't ready for yet, so brining both of those guys off the bench along with Monk, Carmelo and Dwight, all 3 of whom have played well in their roles, will help stabilize the team. Additionally the bench will still have Trevor Ariza and Avery Bradley, although one of them will end up starting until a stretch 5 buyout guy in brought in. Myers Leonard seems to be the guy that is a free agent that can play the role of 20 minute floor spacer allowing the team to limit AD's minutes at the 5.

Leonard/Howard
Davis/Anthony
James/THT/Ariza
Holiday/Monk/Bradley/Reaves
Westbrook/Nunn/Rondo

It all comes down to health, which from James to Davis, Nunn to THT to Ariza, the Lakers have struggled with this year. But if this group is healthy heading to the playoffs there's a real team here.

Minus the Myers Leonard bit, you make solid basketball sense for not being a Lakers fan, lol. Since AD doesn’t last a season at C, he’s our future stretch 4. We need a paintbanger C, and preferably one who is not dropping racist comments. I think Leonard might go jobless for a while.

If we are playing defense enough to make it to the playoffs, don’t count us out just yet. This team is old and sneaky enough to be able to turn it both on and up.

[R-DAWG]

Not a Laker fan, but very interested in this topic. From a far, it seems highly unlikely that the Lakers will move Lebron or AD, and while they might want to move off Westbrook I don't see a desperation team at the moment. So I am a little more focused on the margins.

Wayne Ellington (flipped to a 3rd team), Kent Bazemore, DeAndre Jordan and 2 2nd rd picks for Justin Holiday

Justin Holiday might be a poor man's Danny Green, but that's exactly what the Lakers need. He has the size to defend both wing positions and shoots a league average 3 point percentage for his career. This would represent a big upgrade from Kent Bazemore, who was brought in to be the 3 and D starting wing (and was coming off a strong year in Golden State) but has played himself out of the rotation. Indiana is a rebuilding team who is already down net 2 2nd rd picks over the next 4 drafts, so this trade evens them out in that category.

Also, keep in mind, getting Kendrick Nunn back, plus by adding Holiday to the starting lineup and putting THT back off the bench, put the Lakers bench unit as it was designed entering the season back in play. The bench was designed to have 2 young guard who can space the floor in Nunn and Monk, Carmelo at the 4, Dwight at the 5, and THT as the lockdown wing defender. Nunn has yet to play in a regular season game and THT has been forced into the starting lineup, a role he isn't ready for yet, so brining both of those guys off the bench along with Monk, Carmelo and Dwight, all 3 of whom have played well in their roles, will help stabilize the team. Additionally the bench will still have Trevor Ariza and Avery Bradley, although one of them will end up starting until a stretch 5 buyout guy in brought in. Myers Leonard seems to be the guy that is a free agent that can play the role of 20 minute floor spacer allowing the team to limit AD's minutes at the 5.

Leonard/Howard
Davis/Anthony
James/THT/Ariza
Holiday/Monk/Bradley/Reaves
Westbrook/Nunn/Rondo

It all comes down to health, which from James to Davis, Nunn to THT to Ariza, the Lakers have struggled with this year. But if this group is healthy heading to the playoffs there's a real team here.

Minus the Myers Leonard bit, you make solid basketball sense for not being a Lakers fan, lol. Since AD doesn’t last a season at C, he’s our future stretch 4. We need a paintbanger C, and preferably one who is not dropping racist comments. I think Leonard might go jobless for a while.

If we are playing defense enough to make it to the playoffs, don’t count us out just yet. This team is old and sneaky enough to be able to turn it both on and up.

The reason I suggested Leonard (and I understand why he isn't in the league), is because he has the size to bang in the paint on defense and can stretch the floor on offense. One of the things that makes the Westbrook fit so difficult is it's hard to play him with a traditional C.

In a perfect Lakers world, Kevin Love would have been bought out in Cleveland, and he would be a very nice fit next to Davis in a limited role. He has enough size to keep AD from having to constantly bang with the big guys in the paint, and the perimeter games, both as a shooter and a passer, to compliment the big 3 nicely. This is also why Marc Gasol was brought in last year.

[Slava]

Dewayne Dedmon would have been a perfect fit had Rob Pelinka not sorted his spreadsheet by career PPG and picked the first available players to offer minimum deals.

[sonnyhill]

...In a perfect Lakers world, Kevin Love would have been bought out in Cleveland, and he would be a very nice fit next to Davis in a limited role. He has enough size to keep AD from having to constantly bang with the big guys in the paint, and the perimeter games, both as a shooter and a passer, to compliment the big 3 nicely. This is also why Marc Gasol was brought in last year.

I like your thinking on Kevin Love; yet, both he and Gasol are/were vulnerable when having to defend the pick-and-roll.

Getting more athletic wing players who can both spot-up shoot on the perimeter as well as defend the pick-and-roll might be a better fit for a LeBron led team.

[tamaraw08]

...In a perfect Lakers world, Kevin Love would have been bought out in Cleveland, and he would be a very nice fit next to Davis in a limited role. He has enough size to keep AD from having to constantly bang with the big guys in the paint, and the perimeter games, both as a shooter and a passer, to compliment the big 3 nicely. This is also why Marc Gasol was brought in last year.

I like your thinking on Kevin Love; yet, both he and Gasol are/were vulnerable when having to defend the pick-and-roll.

Getting more athletic wing players who can both spot-up shoot on the perimeter as well as defend the pick-and-roll might be a better fit for a LeBron led team.

An athletic wing who can spot up is a great fit for ALL TEAMS not just Lebron. There are rumors that Detroit might shop for Jerami Grant, it's only true if they are looking for more high FRP's and the Lakers don't have any. I can see Riley, Denver, Dallas, Utah etc etc even GSW going after those type of players.

[Kilroy]

There is no single trade that will turn this team around... It's a complete, top to bottom disaster at this point...

Sure, we can make a move here and there to get better, but LeBron/AD was supposed to be the start of a dynasty... The foundation we could build a decade of championship contenders on... With how AD's played the last 2 years, it's clear we don't have that kind of foundation... And then we made moves that satisfied LeBron's ego rather than complimenting the foundation...
Anything short of a full rebuild is going to have only marginal results. I don't see a trade, even one that sent Westbrook out, that would elevate us above even Phoenix or the Nuggets, much less a fully healthy Brooklyn or Bucks team... We just don't have the core talent anymore.
If this team was run by a true FO instead of LeBron and his cronies, we'd be considering a full rebuild, but it's not, so I have no expectation higher than flashy loser, for the foreseeable future.

[R-DAWG]

There is no single trade that will turn this team around... It's a complete, top to bottom disaster at this point...

Sure, we can make a move here and there to get better, but LeBron/AD was supposed to be the start of a dynasty... The foundation we could build a decade of championship contenders on... With how AD's played the last 2 years, it's clear we don't have that kind of foundation... And then we made moves that satisfied LeBron's ego rather than complimenting the foundation...
Anything short of a full rebuild is going to have only marginal results. I don't see a trade, even one that sent Westbrook out, that would elevate us above even Phoenix or the Nuggets, much less a fully healthy Brooklyn or Bucks team... We just don't have the core talent anymore.
If this team was run by a true FO instead of LeBron and his cronies, we'd be considering a full rebuild, but it's not, so I have no expectation higher than flashy loser, for the foreseeable future.

Your point on AD is very important. Russ takes all the slack, but AD is the biggest disapointment.

Regarding Lebron and his cronies, it just part of the deal. He held up his end of the bargain and brought you a championship.

[bb22]

There is no single trade that will turn this team around... It's a complete, top to bottom disaster at this point...

Sure, we can make a move here and there to get better, but LeBron/AD was supposed to be the start of a dynasty... The foundation we could build a decade of championship contenders on... With how AD's played the last 2 years, it's clear we don't have that kind of foundation... And then we made moves that satisfied LeBron's ego rather than complimenting the foundation...
Anything short of a full rebuild is going to have only marginal results. I don't see a trade, even one that sent Westbrook out, that would elevate us above even Phoenix or the Nuggets, much less a fully healthy Brooklyn or Bucks team... We just don't have the core talent anymore.
If this team was run by a true FO instead of LeBron and his cronies, we'd be considering a full rebuild, but it's not, so I have no expectation higher than flashy loser, for the foreseeable future.

Went from a bottom dweller to championship in only a couple years after adding Lebron. Still make that move and the AD trade 10 times out of 10.
FO did a phenomenal job adding the right pieces in 2019/20, but they did the complete opposite this year.

I am certain Westbrook was the last option, after Derozan/Lillard/Hield deals didn’t work out. The options were probably presented to Lebron as “should we get Westbrook, or do you wanna run it back with last years squad?” Of course you take the risk and grab Russ for the underperforming and mediocre Kuz, KCP, and Trez.

Not giving up on a big move this year. They’ll wait and see how AD looks when he’s back. If he’s not dominant, he could very well be gone at the deadline.

[loveshaq786]

Not true.

DeRozan was sure he was coming... Until GM LEBRON AND AD went crying for Westbrook.

[loveshaq786]

There is no single trade that will turn this team around... It's a complete, top to bottom disaster at this point...

Sure, we can make a move here and there to get better, but LeBron/AD was supposed to be the start of a dynasty... The foundation we could build a decade of championship contenders on... With how AD's played the last 2 years, it's clear we don't have that kind of foundation... And then we made moves that satisfied LeBron's ego rather than complimenting the foundation...
Anything short of a full rebuild is going to have only marginal results. I don't see a trade, even one that sent Westbrook out, that would elevate us above even Phoenix or the Nuggets, much less a fully healthy Brooklyn or Bucks team... We just don't have the core talent anymore.
If this team was run by a true FO instead of LeBron and his cronies, we'd be considering a full rebuild, but it's not, so I have no expectation higher than flashy loser, for the foreseeable future.

Disagree.... A trade like AD, baze, deandre... For LaVine, VUC, and Caruso would make us formidable

Also Westbrook and THT... For boucher, Dragic, and Trent Jr.

[Freighttrain]

There is no single trade that will turn this team around... It's a complete, top to bottom disaster at this point...

Sure, we can make a move here and there to get better, but LeBron/AD was supposed to be the start of a dynasty... The foundation we could build a decade of championship contenders on... With how AD's played the last 2 years, it's clear we don't have that kind of foundation... And then we made moves that satisfied LeBron's ego rather than complimenting the foundation...
Anything short of a full rebuild is going to have only marginal results. I don't see a trade, even one that sent Westbrook out, that would elevate us above even Phoenix or the Nuggets, much less a fully healthy Brooklyn or Bucks team... We just don't have the core talent anymore.
If this team was run by a true FO instead of LeBron and his cronies, we'd be considering a full rebuild, but it's not, so I have no expectation higher than flashy loser, for the foreseeable future.

Disagree.... A trade like AD, baze, deandre... For LaVine, VUC, and Caruso would make us formidable

Also Westbrook and THT... For boucher, Dragic, and Trent Jr.

This trade makes zero sense for the Bulls, who currently stand on the 2nd seed with their team clicking on all cylinders. Even from a Lakers perspective, I'm not quite sure this is the package I want. Lavine is really good but we haven't seen him bring it during the playoffs. Vucevic is a good player, but he was rather shaky in the playoffs. Getting Caruso back is obviously a no-brainer, but I only want to trade AD for either another superstar or a young star and a bunch of picks.

[RamonSessions7]

Yeah the other teams aren’t doing those trades

[sonnyhill]

Are there any Eastern Conference teams which have players with expiring contracts and would move those contracts for LeBron and AD (I just do not see any team wanting to trade for Russ)? This would give Jeanie and Rob the flexibility to rebuild next season with both cap space and a lottery pick.

Another approach would be to trade AD for wing players who can both shoot and defend on the perimeter, have LeBron play position-less basketball, and try to utilize Russ as a slasher and cutting to the basket whenever LeBron draws a double-team?

As the roster is currently made-up, it seems hard to imagine the team improving beyond an 8th seed/play-in team. Also, does anyone else have the "gut feeling" that this Laker team may even miss the playoffs?

[Slava]

Are there any Eastern Conference teams which have players with expiring contracts and would move those contracts for LeBron and AD (I just do not see any team wanting to trade for Russ)? This would give Jeanie and Rob the flexibility to rebuild next season with both cap space and a lottery pick.

Another approach would be to trade AD for wing players who can both shoot and defend on the perimeter, have LeBron play position-less basketball, and try to utilize Russ as a slasher and cutting to the basket whenever LeBron draws a double-team?

As the roster is currently made-up, it seems hard to imagine the team improving beyond an 8th seed/play-in team. Also, does anyone else have the "gut feeling" that this Laker team may even miss the playoffs?

Getting two superstar players, even at LeBron's current age is more than half the battle. Its pointless to entertain a rebuild when you still have that. Look at the Warriors for the past two seasons as an example. Draymond looked cooked, Durant left, Klay had a long term injury and they had to tread water, make some smart decisions and now they are right up there. A healthy LeBron and AD would still put this team at the top, all they need is to get rid of the 1000lb anchor they tied to their legs in Westbrook.

[zuju]

People are too harsh on AD. He is not dominant this year. He is injury prone

You have to bear in mind, he has changed his role and plays with a brand new team. He has to cover much more defensive holes this season than the prior one. I still don't see much better players out there you could attain for AD. My concern would be he looks bulkier and not firm enough. His determination on the court got lost most of the time concerns me though. He has to regain his determination to win.

But at this point, I don't see the need to trade him.

I am disappointed that we traded Rondo who can be a game changer at times in the regular season and most of the time in playoffs. The mastermind who is a real floor general.

[stan francisco]

Rob needs to just trade Westbrook.