Several key Lakers contributors, including Dennis Schröder, Alex Caruso, and Talen Horton-Tucker are up for new deals this offseason, and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said in the latest episode of The Woj Pod that he has the sense the team would like to move some long-term money off its books to create more flexibility to re-sign those players.
“I do think they would like to free up some of that money they owe down the line to put themselves in position to keep the guys they have there,” Wojnarowski said, per RealGM. “I think that’s kind of at the center of some of their talks here around the trade deadline.”
While Woj didn’t specifically name Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as players the Lakers are discussing in trades, he observed that they’re the non-stars on the roster who have multiyear contracts. Kuzma would be tricky to move this year because he has a contract extension going into effect in 2021/22, so if L.A. wants to move some long-term money, KCP could be the team’s top trade candidate by default.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Jovan Buha of The Athletic breaks down the defensive performance of Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell, weighing whether the Lakers need to pursue a center upgrade via trade or on the buyout market. Buha contends that the concerns about the club’s interior defense have been overblown and that the return of Anthony Davis could sufficiently address the issue.
- Lakers guard Alex Caruso, who has missed the team’s last two games, has been cleared from the NBA’s concussion protocol and will be available vs. Charlotte on Thursday night, as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin relays (via Twitter).
- In case you missed it, the Lakers are reportedly among the teams to watch if free agent Isaiah Thomas gets another NBA opportunity.
Lakers absolutely need depth at center. A rim protector is what will get them back to Finals. They don’t pick one up. They are not getting out the West.
imagine if AD missed playoffs time and they have to face Denver with Jokic with only a washed Gasol as their only shot blocker lol will be 2020 clippers 2.0
If there’s no AD they’re not defending the ‘chip… so the discussion is irrelevant.
People need to remember that mid season trades have affected the championship winner maybe 2 times in the last 20 years – Sheed to Pistons, Pau to LA. Thats it. So stop it with overvaluing TD pickups and buyout guys, in 99.99% of the time they dont affect who wins the ringgzz
Yes bc meshing star-games takes time if you’re aiming to be the best.
And the Lakers may as well not bother with the contingency that AD may miss the playoffs. They’re just not that good besides LJ & AD.
Marc Gasol leads the league in defensive box plus/minus, Harrell has been really good for them, and Damian Jones has been insanely amazing for them. They dont need another big
I.T. just isn’t an NBA player. Great scorer who you’ll never win a dang thing with. Not even as a complimentary piece. Everyone knows he can’t play D, and he can’t, but he’s also no good at facilitating offense.
But how do you REALLY feel about him?
If I.T. were to come, whose minutes would he get? If he played, will the league adopt a “2 ball offense?” Can he play the 5 spot?
Rumors say Lakers may trade KCP and Kuzma for expiring contracts
Trading Kuzma is a mistake.. KCP can go
If they traded Kyle Kuzma, they’d be looking for a player like Kyle Kuzma the next day
Only way Kuzma moves is if Indy is in Love with him and would do Kcp Kuzma Mathews +2nd for Myles
I think thats too little but thats the best package we can realistically give. Debatable Lakers are even better after that trade as well with all the 3 ball lost. I see nothing but the smallest scale trade for LAL if any this next week
Get rid of Wesley and KCP. Kuzma has been balling all year. Wish the NBA was like the NFL where guys just get cut…
May as well trade THT too since he will sign elsewhere this summer. Not sold on Schroder either.
I kind of like The more despite Dennis being more experienced
THT is prob getting resigned.. he is the one piece with upside
Both the Lakers and LeBron had a disaster period with IT… I’m sure they’re clamoring for that
I agree to a point, if theLakers pick up the best rebounder in the league its over. The only team I really fear as a Laker fan is Philly because of their size and length. Denver also a huge problem if you don’t have size. Even if you ask Ad to guard an Embiid who is much bigger, you will then cause him to lose a bit on the offensive side. But, I may be biased I still rate us with Davis and a healthy LeBron to win it all. Harrell is a good defender despite a terrible performance after the restart against Nikola, but Jokic has 3 inches and has 40 pounds on him and is one of the two or three best players in the game, at least top 5. He is supposed to school Trez. When Trez isn’t asked to guard Jokic he does a good job both sides of the ball, lakers are 2nd in association in blocks right now without Whiteside or Drummond.
Lebron will say no to IT bc of ’18. Even if Rich Paul brings his name up, no. Paul should be busy looking into trading KCP bc Paul is the only reason KCP has signed his last 2 contracts there. Not that he’s bad, but… a team expending on LJ & AD should be looking for underpaid players like Caruso & Rondo.
Paul probably rants about the idea, but there is a salary cap to contend with, and if Paul opposes using his resources to help them stay under, he should be fired. so there.
Easy call would be trade Kcp for an expiring , but thats pretty damn dirty as KCP helped bring LeBron and has been loyal for quite a while now, but that’s the play on paper and behind all these smokescreens
Kuzmas not moving. Inside NBA circles Kuz’s value is a lot higher than the general public thinks, there’s really not the upgrade out there w salary matching purposes to pull a deal; and I don’t think the Lakers have any intention of trading him anyways
I think they do nothing tho – They can trade Kcp in the offseason if need be to clear funds once the pictures clearer-
*Wildcard would be attaching THT to like Mathews and getting a Nominal C ( 5 Mil….Bis/Noel?) back w a 2nd knowing they wont be able to sign Tht neways to a team with future cap space
Marc Gasol leads the league in defensive box plus/minus, Harrell has been really good for them, and Damian Jones has been insanely amazing for them. They dont need another big
I dont think trading KCP makes sense for them. He is an important wing defender, which they have fewer of this season.
Article is about clearing future money tho to make room for everyone essentially – Kcp is the most logical
But I doubt they prioritize that over trying to win this year
kuzma is one of the last guys from the pre LeBron years, You can’t let guys like that go. Remember Randle the all pro