Lakers Rumors: Expert Proposes Massive 4-Team Trade to Turn LA Into Title Contender
The NBA trade deadline is nearing. In less than 24 hours, all the chaos of one of the best times of the year will be over. And in less than 24 hours, Laker fans can hope that their favorite team looks much different.
One way to do that would be making this massive four-team trade proposed by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report. The deal would move guys like Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry, Michael Porter Jr. and Jimmy Butler, drastically changing the landscape of the NBA. I definitely recommend you read the full article.
However, as this is a Laker site, we're just going to focus on what they would give up and lose in the deal. Here's their side:
"Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Bojan Bogdanović, Kyle Lowry and Ish Smith
Los Angeles Lakers Lose: Russell Westbrook, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2027 second-round pick and a 2029 first-round pick"
So the Lakers would be giving up Russell Westbrook, both tradable first-round picks and a second-rounder, and would bring back high-scoring wing Bojan Bogdanovic and veteran point guards Kyle Lowry and Ish Smith.
Bogdanovic is one of the most sought after players on the market, and has been heavily linked to the Lakers all offseason long. This year, he's averaging 21.4 points per game on 48.9 percent shooting from the field and an incredible 42 percent shooting from deep. He would space the floor well, and bring a ton of high-level scoring to a team that desperately lacks it outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Then there's Lowry, who's having a major down year in Miami. Lowry is averaging 12 points, 5.3 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game this season, shooting 39.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep. The Heat would love to get out of the last year of his deal, where he's owed nearly $30 million.
Finally, the Lakers would be adding Smith, who likely wouldn't have much of a role, and could be a buyout candidate. The 13-year vet is averaging just 2.8 points in 9.3 minutes per game this season.
While this would be a dramatic trade for LA to make, I honestly don't think it's their best option. I don't believe that Bogdanovic and Lowry are enough to turn this team into a true NBA Finals contender, and I think they would be better off making multiple trades and spreading out the first-round picks. But hey, it's definitely fun to talk about.
