Lakers Rumors: LA Showing Interest in High-Scoring Forward Ahead Of Trade Deadline
Your Los Angeles Lakers are getting into the weeds as they explore their various available trade options now, with this year's deadline less than 48 hours away.
LA of course had hoped to pry unstable All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, Lakers All-Star LeBron James's former Cleveland Cavaliers running mate, away from the Brooklyn Nets. But that was not to be, and he was instead shipped to the Dallas Mavericks, where just one press conference in he is continuing to show why he's such a risk for any new team to add. I assume he'll balance that out by scoring 45 in his Dallas debut against the LA Clippers tomorrow.
But we digress.
The Lakers continue to kick the tires on a potential deal for sharpshooting Detroit Pistons combo forward Bojan Bogdanovic, whom they've been pursuing since he was on the Utah Jazz last summer!
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report indicates that the Lakers number among many teams with interest in adding the 33-year-old vet. Pincus earmarks three other Western Conference playoff hopefuls as being LA's primary (disclosed) competition: the New Orleans Pelicans, the aforementioned Dallas Mavericks (although they're out a few picks now following this Irving trade), and the Phoenix Suns.
So what might a hypothetical trade for the 6'7" forward look like?
Michael Pina of The Ringer proposes the framework of one potential offer. LA could ship out the combined expiring contracts of guards Patrick Beverley (worth $13 million) and Lonnie Walker IV ($6.3 million), along with an unprotected 2027 first round draft pick, for Bogdanovic.
If the Lakers wanted to hold onto Walker and Beverley, they would most likely need to take back several other Pistons players in a Russell Westbrook deal. Los Angles could flip the contracts of Bogdanovic, another sharpshooter in swingman Alec Burks, and an above-average rim defender in reserve big man Nerlens Noel for Westbrook.
