Lakers Favored to Grab $18M Guard Before Trade Deadline

The Lakers are the favorite to grab this guard before the trade deadline.

Dec 1, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) defends Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are stuck in the middle right now. They sit at seventh in the Western Conference standings right now.

Seventh would put the Lakers in the play-in game. They also sit just two games out of 12th in the West. At the same time, they're just a half-game back from the fifth spot.

Being in the middle means the Lakers know they have to make at least one more move at the trade deadline. They have lost three straight games, though they've also had two games postponed because of the fires out in L.A.

Read more: Lakers Update Game Schedule After Postponements Caused by Wildfires

Los Angeles made the move for Dorian Finney-Smith and shipped out D'Angelo Russell for him. So far, the returns have been marginal at best. Finney-Smith is averaging just 6.8 points per game with the Lakers.

Finney-Smith was brought in to help their defense. In the six games with Finney-Smith on the roster, their defensive rating is 27th in the league, three spots lower than their overall rating, which is 24th.

Los Angeles clearly needs to make a move to help their offense now that Russell is in Brooklyn. They need a guard who can help with playmaking and scoring.

Because of that, they have been listed as one of the favorites to land Collin Sexton in a trade from the Utah Jazz, according to Bovada Sportsbook.

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The Utah Jazz are the second-worst team in the Western Conference. They have been one of the teams caught in the middle too.

Utah is poised to start a teardown to rebuild the franchise. That would include getting ride of Sexton, who is the exact kind of player that the Lakers need.

Sexton can come off the bench, or start, and deliver playmaking and scoring. He's someone who can create his own shot and create for others too.

L.A. won't be trading for him for his defense if that is a deal that ends up happening. He's not the strongest defensive player. Still, the Lakers need to make a move for a guard in the worst way.

Sexton has averaged 18.2 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.8 rebounds so far this season. He is shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 42 percent from the 3-point line.

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