Lakers Trade Rumors: Ramon Sessions Is Superior Fit Compared to Raymond Felton
Jim Buss is clueless.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ crater of a hole at the point guard position is no secret. While management is at least attempting to upgrade their unbearable weakness, they’re walking down the wrong path.
Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reported that trade talks between LA and the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ramon Sessions broke down because the Lakers refused to surrender a first-round pick.
Now, Comcast SportsNet’s Chris Haynes is reporting that Buss and company are communicating with the Portland Trail Blazers about a Raymond Felton-Steve Blake swap.
Again, right position, but wrong point guard.
Sessions is the most talented floor general on the market in which the Lakers wouldn’t be forced to sacrifice Pau Gasol to acquire. Not only is Felton playing absolutely horrible basketball this season—he doesn’t even fit LA’s scheme.
This year for the Cavs, Sessions is averaging 10.8 points and 5.1 assists in just 24.8 minutes of action a night. On top of that, his three-point percentage is an impressive 42.9 percent.
Felton, on the other hand, averages less points than Sessions, despite playing over six more minutes per game, and is shooting an abysmal 24.4 percent from downtown.
When Kobe Bryant isolates and Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol go to work in the post, Los Angeles needs someone at the point that’s able to spread the floor and knock down open shots when the double-team comes. As a spot-up shooter, Felton would actually be a downgrade from Derek Fisher.
And on top of his poor shooting ability, Felton is tailor made for a run-and-gun offense. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see his mammoth plummet in production playing with the half-court-oriented Trail Blazers after excelling with Mike D’Antoni’s New York Knicks.
While he’s currently running Byron Scott’s up-tempo system, Sessions' skill set doesn’t demand it. Without a doubt, he’s the more productive player and better fit for the Lakers’ half-court offense.
David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.
