The struggling Lakers, losers of seven of their last 10 games, opted not to make any moves leading up to the NBA trade deadline. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), Los Angeles will instead look to the buyout market to shore up their club.
Underperforming Lakers wing Talen Horton-Tucker, who had been considered L.A.’s most logical trade chip, will now remain on the roster through at least this season. At 26-30, the Lakers occupy the Western Conference’s ninth seed, a far cry from their expectations heading into the 2021/22 season. Russell Westbrook, who is in the midst of one of the worst seasons of his career, will also remain with the team.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN adds (via Twitter) that, given that the Lakers currently possess a full roster of 15 players, the team would need to waive a player to make room for a new addition. Reserves DeAndre Jordan and Kent Bazemore would seem to be the likeliest candidates for this.
Several other teams with postseason hopes opted to not make trades during deadline day:
- Another team that had high hopes heading into 2021/22, the 24-31 Knicks, opted to stand pat today, reports Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The team made two trades earlier in the season, including acquiring Cam Reddish from Atlanta. Fred Katz of The Athletic notes (via Twitter) that, though New York may have possessed some trade-friendly contracts, the team was unable to find a willing partner.
- A relatively loaded Warriors club elected not to make a deadline transaction, and currently boasts a 15-man roster identical to their opening night group, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Led by All-Stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins, plus a returning Klay Thompson and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Jordan Poole, this revamped Golden State club has comfortably established itself as one of the top teams in the Western Conference.
- The Bulls, a top seed in the East with a very injured roster, decided to also not make any trades during the season, and will instead look to the buyout market to improve their depth, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Johnson adds (Twitter link) that Chicago never really wanted to move on from second-year power forward Patrick Williams this season. Johnson notes that Williams, who has been hurt for all but five games this season, could be returning from his wrist fracture as soon as mid-March.
- The surging Hawks, winners of seven of their last ten games, ultimately did not make any deadline-day moves, according to Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). The Reddish deal with New York ended up being their only move this season.
- The Timberwolves had several conversations around the league but ultimately could not find a trade that worked for them, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. With an exciting core of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, second-year shooting guard Anthony Edwards, and veteran point guard D’Angelo Russell, the team has developed into a frisky playoff contender. The front office will look to observe how the club wraps up the 2021/22 season. With a 29-26 record, the Timberwolves are the seventh seed in the West at present. Minnesota appears on track to make its first postseason berth since 2018.
- The 38-18 Grizzlies, the third seed in the Western Conference, did not make any trades at the deadline, per Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian (via Twitter). Led by All-Star starter Ja Morant, Memphis is already a particularly deep club with several players signed to reasonable contracts.
- In a bit of a surprise, the usually very-active Thunder are another team that decided to not make any compositional changes at the trade deadline this season, per the Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto (Twitter link). Oklahoma City is currently well below the salary cap and the minimum salary floor. The team’s cap space will still be in play in June before the new league year starts.
Just get rid of Rod Pelinski.
As expected, Lakers are authentic Home of Buyout
Knicks reportedly want draft compensation from Lakers for giving up Reddish and Burks.
Lakers rejected
Lakers believe that Horton Tucker and Nunn are enough for Reddish and Burks.
Leon Rose is the second cheapest guy in the nba.
I’d guess that Lakers owners don’t want to offer 2027 First for the guy like Reddish.
Leon Rose going to have to go the same way Brodie V Whatever did for the Mets. THUMBS DOWN.
Did anyone really want THT? He should of been traded last year in a package for Lowry but LA refused now desperately wanting him gone.
“should of” LoL
I wouldn’t say desperately wanted him gone as much as him being the only viable trade chip. He does have some promise so hopefully he can still turn things around and become a decent rotation player.
I don’t think they “desperately” wanted him gone. I think it’s the only thing they had to trade. From what I know min salaries don’t count towards salary matching. That left them Nunn and THT to trade. I would have seen what you could get for Monk. Blow it up and get some draft picks. They can’t sign him next year anyway. We aren’t going. Anywhere with this team and no one or two players can fix it now.
Knicks need a PG and did nothing probably because all teams wanting RJ who should be the only untouchable on Knicks right now.
Perhaps they need a new Owner like the Wilpon’s with the Mets maybe Dolan has to go. Sell the Knicks now!
The warriors problem is payroll. They can’t take on any high payroll so none of deals make sense. They will need wiseman back for the playoffs.
they’ll be better off keeping those guys longterm anyways.
they didn’t have any significant holes to address (not many centers would fit with them)
, and will be better off trading Poole or Klay down the line
Lakers needed to do something .. major F
buyout market will consist of more aging vets, not what they need.
they needed some actual role players of prime age.
THT holds little value , but the main issue was not having a bigger contract to attach to it
Nothing they could do. Very personification of a straitjacket team.
Trading for Wall would have been a waste of time and assets. All they can do now is convince Russ to come off the bench and promise to trade or buy him out in the off season and scour the bargin bin for pieces.
They screwed themselves with Russ. Buying him out or just paying and playing him does little good. They are so far over the cap that if they buy him out, they still have nothing left. They are $55m over the cap next year. Lose him and they are still $9 over. I was hoping Portland wouldn’t dump Lillard as he has 3 years left on his contract. So Portland would save $80m on the back end. They’d have Russ for a year. And then ready to go.
I’d give them a 1st and two 2nds in that deal
The Knicks. Bahahahahahaha!!!!!
Knicks didn’t need to do anything major at the TD, but they really did need to move at least 1 wing player. The return was less important than freeing up minutes. I’m very surprised they didn’t.
I’m good with NYK staying. The way we are playing. Our players are probably undervalued. There will be a major trade in offseason, I guess. I was really starting to feel Fox coming here.
Imo Haliburton will be a better PG than Fox. But I trade him for Sabonis at this point too.
Lol the Lakers are not the destination they think they are. Not sure anybody is jumping at the opportunity to join a sub 500 team in disarray. Lebron is still great but Westbrick gonna Westbrick, ADaytoday’s availability is always a question mark, and they have very few NBA quality role players.
What are you talking about? This isn’t free agency. It’s the trade market. Players don’t make those decisions.
Watching the Knicks forgo making any moves is not surprising, but that doesn’t mean I don’t question it.
They are falling into this area, Bill Simmons brings up frequently, where they just don’t have an identity. Sure, with Thibs there is this facade, and maybe he does it on purpose, to draw attention away from the players and to himself, but night-in night-out it’s impossible to know what you’ll get.
Who are the Knicks? Are they young? Are they old? Why is Cam Reddish on the bench? Are you playing to win or to lose?
Sadly, none of these are a recipe for success. Just another season, singing the orange and blues….
Yeah another wise comment…….
Keep trying.
Knicks core is youngest in NBA. It’s all about the rebuild. And Randle is not part of that. This is RJs team now, 22 yrs old.
Grimes 21, Obi, 22, Quickley 21, Mitch 22, Sims 22, McBride 20. Four #1 picks in next two yrs. Personally I’m good with a lottery pick this yr.
Feels like you and Thibs have different definitions of “core”. You conveniently left some Knicks starters off that list…
But what do I know about basketball?
Hey Al you need to worry about our Lousy Knick Team and Lousy President of Basketball Operations Leon Do Nothing who was asleep at the wheel when the trade deadline ended. Every thing Lil D said is spot on about this enept front office which goes along with this enept delusional coach Thibs. Stop Talkin about a rebuild when you have a dam stubborn coach who doesn’t even want to play young players when he still trotting out Kemba,Alex Burkes, Gibson,and his girlfriend Julia’s Randle who always plays the whole first quarter no matter how good or bad he is playing. Hey Al weren’t you the one saying a trade is coming but guess what the joke is on all us Knick fans including you . Tell Leon Rose to put away his coupons because he keeps coming to the Trade deadline war room with a Knife during a gun fight. Now this off season you say a big trade is coming. Your delusional just like Leon Do Nothing Rose who’s only impactful trade has been getting Derrick Rose at the Trade deadline. And stop with the Rebuilding bull we have been rebuilding for dam near 20 years and we ain’t no closer getting out of a play in series if we are lucky to make that which we won’t because this delusional coach who had the audacity to have his prize future cornerstone RJ aka Broadway Barrett in a 15 point blowout still in the game with seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Luckily RJ didn’t blow out his freaking Knee and this would have been worse than a friendly game of Russian roulette which Thibs seems to always be playing . Honestly you waste time commenting on people’s post where your focus should be on our Lousy team ,lousy front office,and lousy enept coach who will probably be dead before your so called rebuild comes to fruition.Leon Rose keeps coming to gunfights with butter Knives so stop with the rebuild BS. The young players aren’t even been deloveped in a proper way and the coach won’t play them more than 15 or 20 mins a game. Fire Thibs and hire Kenny Attikson or Johnnie Bryant. Leon Rose and World Wide Wes were supposed to be so connected but we can’t even get a cup of coffee with free agents and our calls go straight to voicemail when we inquirie about other teams assets. It’s a joke your still talking about rebuild and trades that will never happen under this delusional cheap regime that just plays a game of chicken and possum. What are we saving all these draft picks for to take them with us when we did. Ha ha ha .
Well the Knicks did sign Gersson Rosas!
And the Knicks will draft someone named Frank. It’s in their master plan.
Looks like Ego Maniac BRON BRON has miscalculated his team talent. Enjoy watching the playoffs the from your couch the rest of your career.
You really told him! From your couch lol.