Lakers Set to Half Methods with Defensive Standout Amid Commerce Hypothesis

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The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to many prime gamers in current commerce rumors, and so they may need to maneuver on from a defensive guard within the course of to make any of these offers work.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a robust core collectively, a minimum of for this yr. With LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton main the way in which, the Lakers have a couple of different rotational gamers that may very well be moved in a commerce to bolster their title hopes. 

Whereas they’ve been reportedly interested by buying and selling for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Andrew Wiggins, each of whom would require vastly completely different packages, one participant on the Lakers’ present roster stands out because the more than likely to be moved in a deal earlier than the deadline. 

Writing for Bleacher Report, Grant Hughes expects Gabe Vincent to be Los Angeles’ more than likely commerce choice over the following two months. 

“Rui Hachimura‘s capturing is just too priceless, and Jarred Vanderbilt‘s contract runs into 2027-28. That leaves Gabe Vincent as essentially the most logical mid-tier wage the Los Angeles Lakers may think about buying and selling,” Hughes wrote. 

Vincent has performed in simply 12 video games for the Lakers this yr, beginning in six of them, with averages of 5.1 factors, one rebound, and 1.7 assists on 35.2% capturing. 

Gabe Vincent Possible To Be Traded

Vincent missed a couple of weeks earlier within the season with an ankle sprain and hasn’t been an environment friendly offensive contributor to this Lakers group. He did have a season-high 18 factors of their loss to the Boston Celtics, however to this point, that was his solely recreation scoring double-digits, as in each different recreation, he’s scored between three and six factors. 

Nevertheless, Vincent isn’t in Los Angeles for his offensive recreation, however quite his prowess on protection. Although he was harm and missed time, he is without doubt one of the group’s prime perimeter defenders. However Sensible and Vanderbilt maintain extra worth for the Lakers proper now, which means Vincent is on the skin trying in because it pertains to his future in L.A.

“On a group that doesn’t precisely over-index on satisfactory backcourt defenders who can sometimes shoot from deep, Vincent has actual worth,” Hughes wrote. “Marcus Sensible has been surprisingly playable, although, and a wholesome Vanderbilt is a extra dynamic defensive weapon—one who can cowl a number of positions.”

His contract, each with what the Lakers are paying him and what they may get again in return, isn’t nice. Although he’s proven flashes, it’s arduous to anticipate him, Sensible, and Vanderbilt all enjoying significant minutes each evening whereas they sit behind Doncic and Reaves in the depth chart. 

The Lakers may use one other defensive ace, however seemingly one with a bit extra dimension in comparison with Vincent’s 6’2” body.

“At simply $11 million this season, Vincent isn’t going to convey again a serious improve,” Hughes added. “However he may very well be a part of a package deal that returns a rotation-worthy defender with extra dimension and flexibility. It will take some sweetening, however the veteran guard may characteristic in a deal for Mavericks middle Daniel Gafford.”

Lakers Commerce Rumors

As Hughes talked about, the Lakers have been eying Gafford as a possible goal for a couple of months now. With all the pieces occurring in Dallas, he appears to be on the commerce block, and he beforehand proved profitable alongside the franchise star in Doncic. 

A commerce for him would seemingly want to incorporate somebody else apart from simply Vincent, which may very well be tough for Los Angeles to quit. 

“Coincidentally sufficient, one of many groups with sturdy curiosity in Gafford courting again to final season is the Los Angeles Lakers, sources stated,” Brett Siegel wrote for ClutchPoints a couple of weeks in the past. “Might we see a reunion between Luka Doncic and Gafford in Los Angeles in February?”

The identical may be stated for Wiggins, whom the Lakers have additionally been eyeing just lately. Whereas he’s making much more cash than Gafford, a commerce for both must have a participant like Hachimura or Vanderbilt, however even nonetheless, the franchise’s top-heavy wage cap makes a deal like that fairly tough. 

Then we get to Antetokounmpo, because the Lakers have been one in every of many groups hoping to land the two-time MVP, as his tenure with the Bucks appears to be coming to an finish. Los Angeles has only a few choices on a mid-season deal for the Greek Freak. Their most suitable choice would seemingly be a sign-and-trade with Milwaukee for Reaves’ potential max deal over the summer season.

However nonetheless, the Lakers don’t have something near what groups just like the Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, or Miami Warmth may supply. They’ve all the time been good at touchdown superstars, however Antetokounmpo is perhaps a bit too wealthy, which means a lower-level deal for Vincent appears much more seemingly.

Eli Gregorski is a sports activities journalist overlaying the NBA for Heavy Sports activities. He has years of sports activities writing expertise overlaying the NBA, NFL, faculty soccer and basketball, worldwide soccer, and Method One. He graduated from the College of Colorado Boulder, the place he was the assistant sports activities editor for the award-winning CU Unbiased pupil publication. Extra about Eli Gregorski