The Lakers will be without forward Cam Reddish until after the trade deadline, announcing on Friday that he has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain and will be reevaluated in approximately two weeks (Twitter link via Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times).
Reddish has been a regular part of the rotation in his first season with the Lakers, starting 26 games and coming off the bench in nine more for an average of 23.3 minutes per contest. However, he has been plagued by various injuries over the past couple months, missing games due to both left and right groin ailments and left and right knee soreness.
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- D’Angelo Russell‘s hot streak continued on Thursday as he put up 29 points on 10-of-18 shooting in a win over Chicago. Russell has now averaged 27.4 PPG and 6.6 APG since reentering the starting lineup on January 13, raising questions about whether it really makes sense to trade him, writes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.
- Although Russell’s heater has raised his standing in the Lakers’ eyes, the team still believes that his strengths and weaknesses overlap too much with Austin Reaves‘ and would like to upgrade the point guard spot, says Jovan Buha of The Athletic. However, Buha notes that the Lakers would view a Russell trade involving a player like Malcolm Brogdon, Tyus Jones, or Spencer Dinwiddie as a “lateral move at best.” Dejounte Murray is an exception, since L.A. considers him a player who could replicate Russell’s offensive production while upgrading the defense, Buha writes.
- Within the same mailbag, Buha says that there are people within the Lakers’ organization who believe the club needs to make two moves on the trade market, not just one. Murray and Bruce Brown are currently the team’s top targets, sources tell Buha, though acquiring both guards likely isn’t realistic.
- Kyle Lowry is a potential target to watch for the Lakers if he’s bought out by Charlotte, team and league sources tell Buha. Los Angeles’ team salary is above the luxury tax line but below the first apron, so the club wouldn’t be prohibited from signing Lowry on the buyout market.
Lowry would be a good pickup to boost the bench. Can still shoot and run an offense even though he’s physically wearing down.
Great pickup.
Brogdan I’d considered an upgrade and not just a lateral move. He’s a better defender, better shooter of the catch and happier to play off ball on offence. Plus you could even try talk Portland into throwing Rob Williams into the deal.
Brogdan Reaves Bron AD RobWill
That would be a beast line up at both ends, good mix of ages and experience. On paper a really good mix that group.
LA: Malcom Brogdan and Rob Will
Portland: Rui Hachimura, Landry Shamet, Corey Kispert and a second round pick (lakers)
Washington: DAngelo Russell
Lakers get what they want, Portland gets two good young forwards, a draft pick and a back up point guard. Washington gets the upgrade at pint guard and just imagine Russell Poole and Kuzma
They’re all upgrades…
This is just the stretch of the season where Dlo makes his averages look decent enough to get paid…
Lakers really need to make the most of Dlo’s hot streak… They never last… So get in whilst he has value before teams are reminded of how he played to get himself put on the bench…