Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a poor start this season, unable to find a rhythm or lineup that works. Here are five moves they can make to save their season.
At this point, the Los Angeles Lakers seem to be treading water. It’s unclear if any move they make could turn their season around. This old and feeble team is currently sitting with a 7-12 record, good enough for 13th in the Western Conference. And what’s worse, if they continue down this road to nowhere, they don’t even have the rights to their first-round pick this season. Therefore, if the Lakers are to salvage this season at all, here are five moves they can make.
5. Los Angeles Lakers need to trade for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield
This is perhaps the most talked about trade that the Lakers remain in contention for. Myles Turner and Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers are the two main items on the trade block at the moment. And the Lakers have already been closely linked to this deal. In order to make it happen, it’s likely that the Lakers would need to deal Russell Westbrook and two future first-round picks.
Now, Turner and Hield don’t solve all of the Lakers’ problems, but they certainly make Los Angeles look like more of a thoughtfully designed team. Both Turner and Hield are near 40 percent 3-point shooters averaging nearly 20 points per game. Turner provides additional size and versatility around the basket, whereas Hield gives you more traditional guard play.
The problem with this move, however, is that the Lakers giving two future first-round draft picks away all but requires the team to win now. And with the other talented teams in the uber-competitive Western Conference, it’s difficult to imagine that this newly reconstructed Lakers team actually has a legitimate shot at a title.