Your 16–14 Los Angeles Lakers appear to be lacking in one crucial area: wing defense, even though they have a top–10 defense once again this season. Hugger Jarred Vanderbilt, who is a power forward by trade but is also the team’s best or second-best wing defender, and newly acquired point guard Gabe Vincent have played very little this season, so part of the problem may be health-related. But if Los Angeles is willing to make the necessary trade concessions, they might also be able to acquire an upgrade. Three Chicago Bulls players, including a former 2020 champion, have long been mentioned as potential trade targets for the Lakers. Jovan Buha and Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic recently discussed these rumors. The most talked-about headliners are likely to be All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, but former Laker Alex Caruso Buha, LA’s beat reporter for the site (Mayberry tracks the Bulls), voiced his skepticism that the club would be interested in adding the All-Defensive First Teamer back into the fold for what the Bulls would want in return. “My understanding is that the Lakers continue to prefer DeRozan and/or Caruso given their contracts, as previously reported,” Buha writes. “I… don’t think the Lakers will meet the Bulls’ sky-high price for Caruso — if the Bulls even entertain trading him.” This year, the 6’5″ wing is averaging 9.6 points on .547/.464/.765 shooting splits (that three-point conversion rate comes on a career-most 3.4 attempts), 2.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks
