Lakers: Three LA Trade Candidates From A Stacked Nuggets Team
Let me just say right off the bat that finding workable trade deals between your Los Angeles Lakers and the class of the West, the Denver Nuggets, is going to be difficult for a few different reasons. Tonight's opponents are a formidable bunch, and LA may not have what Denver would be looking for at the February 9th trade deadline.
It is typically difficult for two semi-rivals with similar objectives (i.e. to be good, although it's not entirely clear that is LA's end game) in the same conference to make exchanges that both sides find equitable. The 26-13 Nuggets surely don't take the 19-21 Lakers all that seriously as a real threat this year, but still, technically, they are both hoping to be in the postseason conversation. Even if the Lakers front office seemingly isn't that interested in making meaningful changes yet.
The other big sticking point in any deal points back to the Lakers front office's roster construction: what exactly does LA have to offer that Denver would even want?
Outside of LeBron James himself (who can't be traded this season after having signed a contract extension in the summer), there aren't a ton of Lakers players that would hold much appeal to the Nuggets.
Swingmen Lonnie Walker and Austin Reaves would hold some interest Denver, and certainly center Thomas Bryant, who has been incredible in AD's stead, would tantalize the Nuggets. Those players may all have more value to the Lakers than they would for the Nuggets, but there are some Denver players making similar money that perhaps both teams think could benefit from a change of locale.
Remember, the Lakers' big needs are defense (especially on the wing, but they could use some help inside, too) and three-point shooting. The Nuggets would probably be hesitant to make a deal that would disrupt their rotation in a big way (which effectively makes one of these ideas a bit pie-in-the-sky), but who knows? It never hurts to ask!
Here are three possible trades that could suit both teams.
Lakers Trade Lonnie Walker IV, Second-Round Pick For Bruce Brown
Brown is on paper the "better" player in this exchange. Los Angeles needs plenty of defensive assistance, and in addition to being a pretty darn great three-point shooter (he's nailing 40.4% of his 3.3 looks this season from deep), Brown can legitimately guard four positions on the floor and is also a decent playmaker. Walker has been an excellent shooter and finisher for LA this year, and obviously Denver would take a step back defensively with this deal, but perhaps it would be open to adding a future pick (and thus, ostensibly, a future cheap roster piece)?
Lakers Flip Patrick Beverley, Austin Reaves For Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Nuggets Top-20 Protected First-Rounder
This is the big deal that I'm not sure either side would feel amazing about. Beverley has been such a minus on offense for most of the year that he probably shouldn't play major minutes anymore (not that that's stopped Darvin Ham), but he remains a good perimeter defender and rebounder. Reaves has been an absolute steal in LA and a very popular player among fans, but KCP is just an elite 3-and-D catch-and-shoot option at this point in his career. Because Reaves is an intriguing young asset, you'd imagine the Lakers could actually extract some level of draft capital from Denver in this deal. I doubt that the Nuggets would be willing to ditch a starter like this per se, unless it views Reaves as an eventual starter himself. Reaves is in line for a pay raise this summer, but given that he's a restricted free agent, his incumbent team could match any rival offer. Beverley is an expiring contract that the team could try to repackage later, if it makes this move pre-deadline?
Lakers Send Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Second-Round Pick For Jeff Green
Green started alongside LeBron James for an overmatched 2018 Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals team. He remains a potent and athletic defensive player, and could shore up the club's frontcourt in ways JTA and Jones have not been able to. But would LA be willing to part with a pick to get this kind of marginal deal done? The Nuggets would need to waive someone in this exchange. Jones could be seen as a potential DeAndre Jordan improvement, so JTA (or DJ) may feel the squeeze.
