Lakers Rumors: LA Among Teams Interested in Trading for Scoring Big Man From Detroit
Trade season is nearly upon us. Actually, technically speaking, it already is. On Thursday, the Boston Celtics traded Noah Vonleh and cash considerations to the San Antonio Spurs. Crazy!
But in all seriousness, the trade deadline is February 9, so it's time for the rumor mill to start churning. On Thursday, it did just that. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Lakers are among four teams interested in trading for Pistons forward Bojan Bogdanovic. They showed interest in him earlier this season, too.
"At this juncture, the Pistons are seeking at least one first-rounder and either a young player with upside or additional draft capital, sources said, plus Cleveland has company in Dallas, Phoenix and the Lakers, among other teams in pursuit of Bogdanovic."
Bogdanovic makes a lot of sense for the Lakers, as he's in the midst of a career year in Detroit. The 33-year-old is averaging a career-high 21.1 points per game on 48.8/42.4/89.5 shooting splits. He's right on the verge of being in the 50/40/90 club, and would add shooting to a team that desperately needs it.
The Lakers currently rank 26th in the league with a team three-point percentage of 33.7%. Lonnie Walker IV currently leads the Lakers in terms of qualifying players with a three-point percentage of 38.4%, which ranks 54th in the NBA. He's also now sidelined with an injury that may be worse than initially thought. Thomas Bryant is shooting 46.4% from three, but hasn't taken enough to qualify.
Bogdanovic ranks 13th in the league with his 42.2% from three, and 11th with his 89.5% from the line. He would be a perfect fit on this LA team as the starting power forward.
However, the one drawback may be the asking price. The Pistons are reportedly seeking a first-round pick and either more draft capital, or a young player with upside. The Lakers have tradable first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, and could offer pick swaps in 2026 and 2028. However, would that really be worth it for a guy that probably doesn't move the needle in terms of turning them into a true contender?
The Lakers are reportedly holding onto those first-round picks in case a deal for a third star becomes available over the next month or so. While Bogdanovic would be a nice fit, I don't see them putting out the best offer among the other interested teams. A first-round pick and Max Christie doesn't feel worth it for LA, when adding Bogdanovic doesn't confirm they would contend for a championship.
If the asking price drops, Bogdanovic would make a lot of sense for the Lakers. But for now, they may have to look elsewhere for a trade.
