Numerous trade targets have been connected to the Los Angeles Lakers.
For Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks, they are thought to be the front-runners. However, there seems to be a bit of a deadlock in those negotiations over compensation. Terry Rozier, who was reportedly a target for Los Angeles, was traded by the Charlotte Hornets to the Miami Heat.
However, the Lakers still have guard Kyle Lowry to gain from that trade. In exchange, the Heat traded him to the Hornets.
With Charlotte in free fall, Lowry should be able to get her released.
On January 23, Mitch Kupchak, the general manager of the Hornets and a former Laker, told reporters, “I can’t say that’s something we would look to accomplish right away.” Rather than having him move and start something that might not happen, perhaps we should wait until the trade deadline passes. We’ll probably go that route, but I’m not positive. That seems to be the most logical choice.
In addition, he is making 38.5% of his 4.4 attempts from beyond the arc, which could be enticing for a Lakers team hoping to advance far in the playoffs. This season, they are ranked 30th in attempts and 20th in three-point efficiency.
It’s also challenging to duplicate Lowry’s contributions.
Erik Spoelstra Discusses the Intangibles of Kyle Lowry
Six-time All-Star Lowry was chosen for the NBA All-Star team in 2015–16. Additionally, he contributed to the Toronto Raptors winning their first championship in their history. But at his core, he’s a hustler.
According to NBA.com, he is ranked 16th in defensive loose ball recovery percentage and third in charges drawn per game.
“There was a reason why Kyle and I worked so hard to get here. Kyle, his entire career cannot be described by his stats. On January 23, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra addressed the media. “And especially as an ultimate winner, you define him by whether your team is winning or not and how it was functioning,” Spoelstra said.
He’ll be all right. Whether it’s in Charlotte or some other place, he’ll find his next home. And his influence will only grow.
Lakers May Have to Compete Hard to Get Kyle Lowry, a Potential Target
The Lakers may have to deal with two strong landing spots in the East if Lowry is indeed acquired. The Philadelphia 76ers, Lowry’s home team, might be one. Not far away, he was a star at Villanova.
The other is the Chicago Bulls, who have friend and former Toronto teammate of Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, on their roster.
Maybe bringing in Lowry would help the Lakers entice DeRozan to Los Angeles while also preventing him from joining one of their rivals. It could be a head start this offseason, when both players will be free agents, if not by the trade deadline.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NFL and NBA for Heavy.com, concentrating on the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls. Since 2016, he has written about the NBA and NFL for FanSided, Last Word on Sports, and Clocker Sports, among other publications. Illinois’ Villa Park is home to him. Josh’s handle on Instagram and Twitter is @JoshGBuck. Additional details regarding Josh Buckhalter
