Los Angeles Lakers: Chances That Each Laker Gets Traded by NBA Deadline

This article will look at the chances of each member of the Los Angeles Lakers being traded before the NBA trade deadline this March.

I have broken down the chances of each team member being traded with percentages. The higher the percentage, the higher probability I believe the respective player will be traded

How likely do I think it is that Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum finish the season in a Lakers uniform? What about Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher?

Let’s take a look.

Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock: 15 Percent Chance

The Los Angeles Lakers’ two rookies, Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris, have the potential to be mainstays in the team’s rotation down the road.

Morris is the first promising point guard prospect the Lakers have had since Nick Van Exel in the 1990s. Goudelock, along with Jason Kapono, could provide the team with quality three-point shooting, something the team has been lacking recently.

Will the two rooks possibly see time in the D-league? Likely.

Traded? Unlikely.

Luke Walton: 5 Percent Chance

Luke Walton spent his time during the lockout helping coach at the University of Memphis. Given his struggle to stay healthy and new-found love for coaching, I expected Walton to retire after the lockout came to an end.

But Walton came back for his ninth season with the Lakers. Given his recent streak of injuries and huge contract, Walton will likely be on the end of the team’s bench for years to come.

Devin Ebanks: 25 Percent Chance

Devin Ebanks was the opening day starting small forward for the Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day against the Chicago Bulls, averaging 20 minutes per game in the team’s first four contests.

However, the former West Virginia Mountaineer has failed to even play one minute in the team’s last three games.

At this point, Ebanks is probably the Lakers’ most promising young player. So, If the Lakers do make a trade this season, Ebanks could certainly be a coveted commodity from other teams around the league.

Jason Kapono: 15 Percent Chance

Jason Kapono was signed by the Los Angeles Lakers to do one thing and one thing only: hit the three-pointer on a consistent basis.

Kapono, who led the league in three-point percentage two seasons in a row (2006-07 and 2007-08), is arguably the most dangerous three-point threat the Lakers have had since Glen Rice over a decade ago.

It wouldn’t make sense for the Lakers to trade a player who has a great chance to fill one of their biggest voids.

Josh McRoberts: 15 Percent Chance

One of the team’s big free-agent signings this offseason—in hopes of filling the void left by Lamar Odom—was Josh McRoberts.

And while he isn’t one of the most talented players on the roster, he is always moving and hustling, which often leads to easy shots at the rim.

He is also becoming a fan favorite amongst the faithful at Staples Center, much like Ronny Turiaf and Mark Madsen were in their time with the Lakers.

Troy Murphy: 15 Percent Chance

Troy Murphy, who has averaged at least 10 rebounds and 10 points five times in his career, signed with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason.

Thus far, Murphy is still finding his way with the Lakers, averaging 20 minutes and three points.

By season’s end, I expect Murphy’s minutes and production to increase significantly.

Matt Barnes: 15 Percent Chance

It appears Mike Brown is still tinkering with his options at the small forward position, going back and forth between Matt Barnes and Devin Ebanks as his starter, with Metta World Peace coming off the bench.

I have always been a fan of Barnes, even before he joined the Los Angeles Lakers prior to the 2010-11 season. While his numbers will never stand out in the box score, he does all of the little things: diving for a loose ball, effectively moving without the ball and getting under the skin of the opposition.

And after his underwhelming 2010-11 campaign, which was partially due to a knee injury, I think—and hopefully the Lakers do, too—Barnes deserves a second chance to prove his overall worth.

If the Lakers do indeed keep Barnes the entire season, it would be the first time he played for the same team two years in a row since playing with Golden State during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.

Steve Blake: 15 Percent Chance

Yes, the team has only played seven games, but it appears Steve Blake is on his way to having a bounce-back season, following his abysmal performance in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Blake has arguably been the team’s best bench player this season, averaging eight points in 23 minutes of burn.

I am sure if Blake was included in a trade, the Lakers would be getting a backup point guard in return. If not, the team is stuck with a veteran past his prime (Derek Fisher) and an unproven rookie (Darius Morris) at the point guard position.

Metta World Peace: 20 Percent Chance

After a disappointing 2010-11 campaign, the artist formally known as Ron Artest has had an up-and-down start to the 2011-12 campaign.

World Peace has scored in double digits in three of the team’s first seven games games, including 19 points, four rebounds and four assists against the Sacramento Kings. He has posted point totals of four, four, nine and zero in the other four contests.

Some believed prior to the season that the team could potentially use their amnesty on World Peace, but the season began with World Peace in purple and gold.

I expect him to end the season in purple and gold.

Derek Fisher: 15 Percent Chance

Without having to run the triangle offense anymore, Derek Fisher has been forced to be more of a “traditional” point guard in Mike Brown’s system.

Much like Kobe Bryant, I wouldn’t be surprised if D-Fish ended his career in purple and gold. If not for a nod to all Fisher’s done for the Lakers, then simply for the reason it may be hard to find a team who wants him.

Pau Gasol: 25 Percent Chance

Pretty low percentage for a guy who the team was set to trade last month, but I would almost guarantee Pau Gasol will end the season with the Lakers.

Let’s assume Dwight Howard ends up in Los Angeles at the trade deadline this March.

The team will likely be sending Andrew Bynum in the deal rather than Gasol. Otherwise, the team would have two centers instead of an All-Star center in Howard and an All-Star forward in Gasol.

Kobe Bryant: Zero Percent Chance

Barring a huge catastrophe, Kobe Bryant will retire as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.

And unless the team could get LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant or Derrick Rose in exchange for Bryant, they would be silly to trade the five-time champion.

Despite his aging body and balky body parts, the Lakers still go as Kobe goes.

Andrew Bynum: 45 Percent Chance

You have probably concluded by reading the previous slides there’s a good chance the Los Angeles Lakers won’t be making any trades this season, barring an epic meltdown of some kind.

However, if there is one player the team will try to acquire, it will likely be Dwight Howard, in my opinion. As I mentioned in the Pau Gasol slide, assuming the team decides to deal Gasol or Bynum for Howard, Bynum will be the one dealt, to prevent a logjam at the center position.

But the disparity between Bynum and Dwight Howard may be closing. Bynum notched his first 20-20 game against the Houston Rockets Tuesday, scoring 21 points and grabbing 22 rebounds.

In his three games with the team this season, Bynum is averaging 22 points and 17 rebounds.