Los Angeles Lakers: Do Struggles Have GM Mitch Kupchak Looking to Make a Trade?

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Los Angeles Lakers: Do Struggles Have GM Mitch Kupchak Looking to Make a Trade?

For those who tuned in to watch the Los Angeles Lakers get embarrassed on their home court by the Boston Celtics on Sunday, it was painfully obvious that the two-time defending champs just seem to be missing something this season.

True enough, most people would say that what they're really missing is youth. Regardless, the word from NBA.com is that general manager Mitch Kupchak is definitely willing to look outside the organization to find the cure for what ails his team.

"Regarding a trade, I may have to [make one]," Kupchak said at the team's practice facility on Monday. "I'm not saying that I've made calls today or I'll make them tomorrow. But I just don't think that we're playing as well as our talent level should allow us."

The Lakers currently stand at 33-15, which places them second in the Western Conference. But they have definitely had their struggles this season, against inferior teams and the elites of the league alike.

When asked if Kupchak had been open to making any trades throughout the whole season, he said he was not.

"I wasn't," he said. "But it looks as if we may have to.... It's something I may do in the future. I just don't think that our talent level is playing as well as they can play. We have an incredibly high payroll and we do that because we have players that normally produce at a high level. And I'm not sure I see that now."

As for who the Lakers could go out an acquire, and exactly which positions on the floor are most lacking, it's pretty hard to determine.

The one player that would perhaps make them unbeatable would be Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, who many Lakers fans have already started clambering for. However, why the Suns would trade him to a Western Conference rival like the Lakers is beyond me.

Whether or not Kupchak ends up making a deal, the fact of the matter is that the Lakers seem to be coasting through the regular season. Because the NBA lets way too many teams into the playoffs, there is really no danger of them being left out in the cold altogether, and thus no real incentive for them to perform any better than they already are.

Rest assured, one way or another, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the Lakers will be one of the most dangerous teams in the playoffs when they get there, and they definitely have the goods to complete the three-peat.

For more on the Lakers, check out our list of 10 Trade Ideas to Improve Their Defense.

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