Los Angeles Lakers Trade Value Rankings Heading into 2016-17 NBA Trade Deadline
Although the 2016-17 NBA trade deadline is looming large, the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t looking like major players in the process.
At least, that’s the public stance put forth recently by general manager Mitch Kupchak during an interview with Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Bresnahan.
“We’re not actively trying to do something,” Kupchak said. “I would guess that we would not end up doing anything.”
That’s not a surprising statement coming from one of the league’s most taciturn executives. This is also a team built around rising young stars, many of whom are still on rookie contracts. D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle might be highly attractive to other teams, but it’s hard to imagine the Lakers dealing them or other promising neophytes away.
“I’d hate to look to do something with our young players,” Kupchak added, before dampening hopes for veteran trades as well. “I think our older players have given us great leadership. Some guys are on one-year contracts, which makes them more difficult to move.”
Never say never, of course. And so, it’s useful to evaluate the trade value of those who could conceivably wind up in a swap scenario, with criteria including age, performance, contract and other factors that would impact any potential deal.
The Untouchables
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PG D’Angelo Russell
Russell isn’t literally untouchable—nobody on this page is. But two years into an uneven NBA career, the 20-year-old point guard is showing demonstrable signs of what made him the 2015 No. 2 overall draft pick. There’s still plenty of dips in a surging growth chart, however.
“D’Angelo is so talented. I just hope he steps into a bigger leadership role,” Magic Johnson said recently, per Mark Medina of the Orange County Register. “We need a leader and he has to step into that role as a point guard.”
Floor leadership is on hold temporarily, with Russell spraining his right MCL against the Indiana Pacers on Friday. He is expected to be out for one to two weeks.
PF Julius Randle
It’s rare to find a big man who combines brute strength and intensity with true ball-handling skills. Randle can run the floor and dish to the open man—his 3.9 assists per game are second only to Russell. The 6’9” power forward also puts in time at center in small-ball rotations and is the team’s leading rebounder at 8.5 per game.
There’s still a lot of room for development in Randle’s game, however, due in part to missing all but 14 minutes of his 2014-15 rookie season with a broken leg. If the 22-year-old can become a legitimate jump-shooter and learn to make better adjustments defensively, he’ll be a monster.
SF Brandon Ingram
Ingram is long, lean and learning to be an NBA player. His rookie season won’t be a story of overnight success—he’s outrageously streaky when it comes to shooting the long ball and defers too often to teammates.
But that’s OK. The Lakers are in it for the long haul with this 19-year-old, 6’9” gangly giraffe. Ingram has great on-ball defensive instincts and a natural playmaking ability. He’ll learn about rotations and anticipation and he’ll develop a better handle on his jump shot. It’s all part of the development game.
PF Larry Nance Jr.
Although only in his second year in the league, Nance has a ton of maturity and a well-developed game. Add leaping power, defensive ferocity and boundless energy and it still doesn’t tell the whole story. Because this is a guy who just seems to “get it.”
L.A. lost 11 of 16 games after Nance went out with a left knee bone bruise. He returned to action Sunday, playing nine minutes in a lopsided loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The high-flying 24-year-old power forward may never be a consistent starter and probably won’t put up huge numbers. But every team wants a guy like this.
C Ivica Zubac
Zubac had his first double-double with the Lakers on Tuesday in a close loss to Denver. The rookie center played almost all of the fourth quarter and helped the team mount a furious comeback that ultimately fell short. His 11 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks, a steal and an assist were a sign of good things to come.
The 19-year-old from Croatia hadn’t seen many big league minutes prior to that game, but he’s been tearing it up with the team’s D-League affiliate, the D-Fenders, averaging 15.5 points and 9.7 boards over 13 games.
Secondary Value and Filler
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C Tarik Black
Backup center Black is halfway through the first season of a two-year, $12.8 million contract and the second year isn’t guaranteed. He’s also an energetic rebounder, will deliver hard hits under the basket and has a nice flair for diving to the basket off a screen.
The Lakers won’t move the 25-year-old Black by himself. But he could be an intriguing piece of a larger overall trade puzzle.
PG Jose Calderon
Veteran point guard Calderon could be moved on his own or as a component. He’s in the last year of a four-year, $29 million deal and has been with four teams during that time.
Calderon, 35, has played sparingly since returning from a hamstring issue earlier this month. But he’s a talented passer and able outside shooter. He’d be a very decent insurance option for a playoff team.
PF Thomas Robinson
A former No. 5 overall draft pick, Robinson has never really panned out in the NBA. The reason has much to do with being repeatedly used as a trade chip—he was with five teams in four years before being invited to training camp by the Lakers in September.
Nobody expected Robinson, 25, to survive the cuts in L.A. but he did. The Lakers should hang onto this high-energy power forward. He’s ultra-affordable with his minimum salary contract and is the best natural rebounder on the team.
PG Marcelo Huertas
Huertas was a longtime star overseas before signing with the Lakers last season. He’s a ball-passing wizard and has a classic floor general demeanor on offense. But Huertas isn’t much of a defender and his limited NBA experience at age 33 makes him a questionable trade asset.
SF Metta World Peace
It would be shocking to see Metta World Peace, 37, involved in a transaction at this point, unless through some Byzantine necessity in a multiteam scenario. World Peace is a good teammate and mentor, but he’s on his ninth life as an NBA player. A 10th life is highly unlikely.
C Timofey Mozgov
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It’s doubtful the Lakers will try to move Mozgov, and his contract would further complicate any attempt. The veteran center was acquired this summer for a fully guaranteed $64 million over four years.
The hulking 7’1” Russian is also a traditional low-post center in a league that continues to trend in a different direction—multipositional bigs who can run and spread the floor are the rage now.
None of this is to say that Mozgov is without worth in the NBA. He sets a big pick, takes up the low-post slack for teammates who too often allow opponents to blow by them and has an adequate jump shot out to mid-range. Mozgov is also solid from the stripe, converting 79.4 percent of his free-throw attempts.
But at the age of 30, with a hefty price tag and somewhat narrowly defined skill set, this isn’t a guy that other teams will be clamoring for.
There can always be the case of unexpected needs, however, and Mozgov is a battle-tested pro with playoff experience.
SF Luol Deng
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Deng presents an even thornier set of challenges than Mozgov. His four-year deal is more expensive at $72 million, he has a lot more wear on the tread and he’s having the worst statistical season of his career, averaging 8.2 points in 27.6 minutes per game, with an overall field-goal percentage of 39.6. Ouch.
But it’s not all bad. Deng is still pulling down a strong 5.7 boards and does a good job disrupting passing lanes. Additionally, much of his scoring woes can be chalked up to a new system in which he doesn’t have many plays run for him.
Might a young team like the Minnesota Timberwolves—helmed by Deng’s former coach Tom Thibodeau—reach out if they were tantalizingly close to a playoff berth? It’s theoretically possible.
Now in his 13th season, the two-time All-Star offers defense, experience and leadership. But it’s still really hard to get past that contract, especially considering Deng’s best years are behind him.
SG Nick Young
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Young offers tangible value as a player and has a movable contract—the balance of this year’s $5.4 million and a player option for next season.
The Lakers will be reluctant to part with him now, a dramatic shift from the summer when Young’s tenure in purple and gold seemed all but snuffed out. But the arrival of Luke Walton as the team's new head coach brought not only a new lease on life, but a role in the starting lineup and the emergence of a deadly long-distance sniper—Young is connecting on a staggering 41.6 percent of his three-point shot attempts.
“It’s the best I’ve ever seen him play,” Johnson stated recently, per the Orange County Register’s Medina. “He’s played both ends of the court and has played smart. He’s played for the team.”
But in spite of Young’s increased role and a newfound willingness to defend, there’s still the question of how much other teams would be willing to give up to land him. After all, he’s now in his 10th season, his production has never been consistent from year to year and the player option makes acquiring him an even larger gamble.
So while it’s gratifying to watch Swaggy P’s comeback, his trade value will be at its highest with low-scoring squads at the fringe of the playoff hunt like the Chicago Bulls or Detroit Pistons. Realistically speaking, the freewheeling shot-chucker will play out his season in L.A.
PG Louis Williams
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Williams is playing the best ball of his lifetime—arguably better than when he earned Sixth Man of the Year honors during the 2014-15 season with the Toronto Raptors.
The veteran combo guard is the Lakers' scoring leader at 17.9 points per game (a career high) despite coming off the bench. Now in his 12th NBA season, he has also evolved his game. Sweet Lou used to always drive left to the basket. Now he’ll go right as well, and when opponents try to alter his path he’ll simply collect a foul and make them pay at the foul line, where he’s basically automatic.
And then there’s his sublime ability to draw contact beyond the three-point line—you know what happens next.
Yes, Williams has obvious trade value. There’s one more year left on his contract after this season, at a reasonable $7 million annually. He has also clearly demonstrated his adaptability to different systems—segueing easily from Byron Scott’s truncated Princeton offense to Walton’s open-floor style.
But there are also limitations to the 30-year-old’s appeal. Williams has always been more comfortable as a scorer than facilitator and his diminutive size at 6’1” and 175 pounds isn’t what teams look for in an off-guard. He’s also not a great overall defender (although he does have quick hands).
The Lakers won’t be quick to part with Williams and other teams probably won’t offer enough of an enticement to truly matter. But the instant-offense journeyman will certainly draw interest.
SG Jordan Clarkson
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Clarkson has enjoyed a Cinderella-like rise from the 46th overall draft pick in 2014 to a new four-year, $50 million contract last summer. Now in his third NBA season, he logically belongs with the young class of players that the Lakers have no intention of parting with. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
First, his trade value is high. The 6’5” combo guard is a gifted offensive slasher who also has the ability to be a highly effective defender when committed and fully focused. His contract isn’t inflated and he still has his best years ahead of him at 24.
Clarkson has been moved from his starter’s role to the team’s potent second unit this season, averaging an impressive 13.9 points in 27.4 minutes and completing a very solid 45.1 percent of his field-goal attempts. He’s got plenty of speed, an innate ability to shift through traffic and is leading the team in steals at 1.3 per game.
This is the kind of guy that front office execs around the league keep very close tabs on. But in order to land him, there will have to be something very meaningful offered in return. Because Clarkson’s worth to L.A. isn’t as much about the here and now—which is all about team growth and development—as it is about the future.
Lakers stats are courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com and are current as of the end of games on Jan. 22. Salary information is courtesy of Spotrac.
