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Report: Lakers Have 'Expressed Interest' in Gary Trent Jr.
As the Los Angeles Lakers scour for the league for more floor-spacing help, they've reportedly made calls to the Toronto Raptors hoping to land one of Toronto's best young shooters.
Los Angeles has reportedly "expressed interest" in Gary Trent Jr.'s availability, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. He's one of several players the struggling Lakers have checked in on recently.
A deal, however, is hard to see, as Scotto suggests. The Lakers don't have an available first-round pick until 2025 and their dearth of interesting prospects means there likely isn't anything to pique Toronto's interest for Trent. A deal would likely have to involve Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn, but the 21-year-old Horton-Tucker hasn't progressed the way the Lakers had hoped and his value won't be enough to get the Raptors to move Trent amid a career year for the 22-year-old.
The one complicating factor regarding Trent's future is his player-friendly contract. He's on a two-year deal that runs through next season before he has a player option of $18.6 million for 2023-24. Assuming he continues to develop the way he has this season, Trent will certainly opt-out of that year and hit the market just as he enters his prime. That shouldn't sway Toronto into selling low on one of their few floor spacers, but at the right price, Trent could be available this year.
Further Reading
Raptors stand tall in measuring stick game despite loss to Suns
Nick Nurse provides an update on Gary Trent Jr. & Scottie Barnes
Report: 76ers looking to package Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons
