The Lakers’ Five Most Tradable Assets: Ranked
The Lakers have always been involved in offseason trade rumors, and this year is no different. Lately, there has been some smoke on big names such as Russell Westbrook, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, and Buddy Hield, and the same has been true for several members of the LakeShow.
In this article, I will be ranking five of the Lakers’ best trade assets that could be moved in the near future.
5. The 22nd Pick
In a draft class dominated by guards and wings, there are a plethora of options for the Lakers at #22. However, there have been rumblings that Rob Pelinka may attempt to trade into the second round, a wise move given that a second-round pick’s salary is significantly less than a rookie drafted in the 20s (roughly $900K compared to $1.6M-$2M).
If the Lakers opt to trade the pick, that means other teams would benefit from getting a young guard like Jared Butler, Chris Duarte, or Jaden Springer, which would sweeten a deal for a superstar like Russ or DeRozan. They could also trade down to fill the bench with solid rookies, as they have worked out guys like Jason Preston, Neemias Queta, and Day’Ron Sharpe, all projected to be second-round picks.
4. Montrezl Harrell
Harrell was brought on last season for the $9 million Mid-Level Exception, and has a Player Option that he could pick up in the coming days. A 6’7” center, he was used sparingly in the Lakers’ first-round matchup against the Suns, who had bigs that towered over him at 6’11” and 7'1". Trezz’s lack of postseason minutes along with a slim market for centers may be motivating factors for him to welcome a trade.
Despite his height, Harrell still brings his A-game on both ends of the floor, whether it’s defending guys like Jokic or Embiid or feasting on forwards with his 240-pound frame. These skill sets are coveted by teams who desire a small-ball center, and he will surely prove his worth to any team that gets him.
3. Dennis Schröder
Schröder has been mentioned the most in trade talks as a potential sign-and-trade candidate. It would make the most sense for the Lakers to throw him in a package for Russell Westbrook (who will be paid $47 million next season) or Kyle Lowry (who is rumored to be asking for a $30M-per-year salary).
Including Schröder in any deal means the Lakers would be hard-capped, forcing them to spend the rest of their available cap space on unsigned rookies or veteran-minimum players. The 27-year-old would benefit any other offense with his slashing and speed, two qualities that were expected of him in LA but were not consistently displayed, which led to issues in the team’s transition offense. Schröder is higher on the most-valuable-asset list because of his scoring and facilitating abilities (15.4 PPG and nearly 6 APG), as well as the fact that the Lakers look ready to move on from him after one year. Despite his struggles, he is still worthy of a larger role and could use a fresh start after playing second fiddle next to LeBron and AD.
2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
After an up-and-down season with the Lakers, it appears that sharpshooting guard KCP is on the block as well. New reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski claim that he and Kyle Kuzma have been offered by the Lakers to “almost every team [he’s] spoken to”.
KCP would fill any team’s three-point shooting void, as he has shot 41% from deep this past season and 35% from there for his career. He is also an underrated defender, hustling for 0.9 steals a game and 0.4 swats per game. Caldwell-Pope should catch the eyes of teams in need of his services, and is worth every penny of the $13 million he will earn next season.
- Kyle Kuzma
Finally, the Lakers’ most valuable asset is none other than Kyle Kuzma. A 26-year-old in DIRE need of a fresh start, Kuzma put up nearly 13 PPG, 6 RPG, and 2 APG on 44–36–69 splits.
Having as much of a roller-coaster season as any Laker on this list, Kuz showed he can score effectively when he is one of the main options on offense, putting up 20+ points three times in May before LeBron returned on May 15. Unfortunately, that same production did not come when both superstars were healthy, as Kuz provided little value in scoring with horrendous field goal percentages.
The overall theme for Kuzma was inconsistency, as he would go from dropping 15 one game to 5 the next. It is clear that he needs to be dealt to a younger team where he can flash his true potential, and new reports from The Athletic’s Shams Charania claim that the young forward has several suitors. Other draft picks by the purple and gold have blossomed on other teams, and it is finally time for Kuz to do the same.
Conclusion
The Lakers are bound to make some big splashes this offseason, and it is clear they should move on from any of these five if they want to go back to the Finals and hang another banner in Staples Center. Despite all of these trade rumors, it was fun to see Trezz, Dennis, KCP, and Kuz rock the purple and gold, and I hope they enjoy Portland, Sacramento, Toronto, or Washington, D.C.!
