Zach LaVine is currently the most talked-about basketball player in Los Angeles, not even one of the Lakers players. When LaVine went up for trade, the Lakers clearly emerged as the most logical team to acquire him, sparking a lot of conjecture.
Los Angeles would face a long list of problems if they traded for LaVine, and the Lakers appear to be aware of that. According to reports, the team is more interested in acquiring DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso through trade. This suggests that Rob Pelinka may be reluctant to take a big risk on a player who isn’t very effective in winning basketball (LaVine
Indeed, the Lake Show might take a completely different turn. The team has a number of tradeable assets, and there are a number of names that are likely to be dealt before the deadline and make more sense than LaVine.
Zach LaVine is not the better trade target for the Lakers than Malcolm Brogdon.
In the Jrue Holiday trade, Malcolm Brogdon was sent to Portland, giving Boston a new defensive weapon. When it occurred, Brogdon might have been switched around once more, but the Blazers decided to keep him on the team, probably so he could provide experience to the younger guards on the team.
Portland is hoping that Brogdon can add a little more value to himself and persuade a rival team to make a trade for him at the deadline. Ultimately, there
Despite his brief absence, Brogdon has performed admirably for the Blazers this year and, should the Lakers decide to trade for him, would undoubtedly be a welcomed addition in Los Angeles.
There are two approaches to take in this. The Lakers could practically acquire D’Angelo Russell right away in exchange for several second-round selections or a young player (such as Jalen Hood-Schifino. Alternatively, the team might try to trade Gabe Vincent for Hood-Schifino, Taurean Prince, and a protected first-round pick or pick swap in order to get rid of his multi-year contract.
