Lakers Making Trade May Be ‘Imminent’

It’s no secret the Lakers have been evaluating the roster, seeing the results, and exploring their next move.

That may not make them any different than most other teams — but it’s just that, with the Lakers, there seems to be more of a sense of urgency. Their team is built around LeBron James, and when that’s the case, you play for championships.

Today’s Lakers look like they may not even make the playoffs (again).

So yes, a deal is expected to happen at some point this season, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN, via Clutch Points.

“I am convinced that the Lakers will make a trade or trades to improve this team,” McMenamin said during his That’s OD appearance. “I certainly anticipate by mid-January, if not sooner, we’re talking about an imminent trade.”

Much of the talk has centered around point guard Russell Westbrook and the Lakers’ next two trade-eligible first-round draft picks (2027 and ’29). There was also a recent report that the Lakers are seeing what they could get for guards Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn, and one of the picks.

But McMenamin indicated Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and his team may be seeing it would be worth it to move both picks in a deal, if the return were special enough.

"I am convinced that the Lakers will make a trade or trades to improve this team… I certainly anticipate by mid-January, if not sooner, we're talking about an imminent trade."

?️ @mcten

(via ESPN's "That's OD")pic.twitter.com/ybSnzSdfyd

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) December 2, 2022

“The team is still actively trying to trade (Westbrook), though they’re unsure of what they want to do with their picks,” The Athletic’s Jovan Buha said, via Harison Faigen of SB Nation. “But the other three guys (beyond James and Davis on non-minimum contracts), Lonnie Walker has been one of the steals of the offseason and has really thrived in that starting shooting guard role. …

“Kendrick Nunn has not lived up to his contract, and has been really inconsistent this season. And Patrick Beverley has still been solid defensively but is averaging career-lows in points, 3-point percentage, and has just really been a non-factor offensively.”