Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Blockbuster Deals at the Trade Deadline

With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching, and numerous names in the rumor mill and on the trading block, the Los Angeles Lakers could look to make a move to either bolster their roster for a deep postseason run, begin preparation for the future, or a combination thereof. 

The team will primarily look to improve at the point guard position, considering the age and deterioration of long-standing point guard Derek Fisher. 

The Lakers might also look to make some changes at the three-spot. With Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes providing minimal production, aside from World Peace’s stellar play against Miami, they’ll need to make a move for a player who can both effectively play the small forward position and deepen the front court.   

The main trading chip in all of the discussions and rumors is all-star power forward Pau Gasol. 

After Commissioner David Stern nixed the Chris Paul-for-Pau Gasol trade this past offseason, Gasol’s services seem to be in high demand. There are multiple reports tying Gasol’s fate to the likes of the Rockets, Magic and Celtics just to name a few. 

Considering the Lakers’ need for improvement at multiple positions, I decided to detail five blockbuster trade possibilities that would help place the Lakers back on title contention track with a little help from ESPN's "NBA Trade Machine." 

5) Celtics

Lakers Receive: Rajon Rondo, Jermaine O’Neal

Celtics Receive: Pau Gasol

You can check it out here.

The Lakers receive a top five point guard who is capable of doing everything on the offensive and defensive ends of the court aside from hitting a shot outside of 15 feet. 

He is a playmaker by nature and would no doubt thrive in the Lakers’ newly adopted pick-and-roll system with both Bryant and Bynum to distribute the rock to. 

Give that offense a knock down, three-point shooter and they would have a shot at a title almost immediately. 

There are only two things I have against this trade: 

A) There are questions surrounding Rondo’s attitude and personality. In a game where team chemistry is vital to success, and, considering the fact that Rondo and Celtics coach Doc Rivers have been known to butt heads, the Lakers should take a hard look at this trade before pulling the trigger.

And

B) This trade crosses basketball boundaries. It was bad enough that the Lakers traded away Lamar Odom to the team that swept and embarrassed them in last year’s playoffs, but it would be even worse if they made a deal with the franchise that they have a had a rivalry with for nearly six decades.  

4) Suns

Lakers Receive: Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat

Celtics Receive: Andrew Bynum

You can check it out here.

This trade prospect is really more of a fantasy than a reality, but my oh my would it be amazing if it ever came to fruition. 

It is ripe with content for an endless amount of storylines. Bynum would get a fresh start with a team that would immediately be tagged “his,” while the basketball world would sit and watch an incredible experiment unfold before their very eyes featuring this generation’s greatest point and shooting guard, both with title aspirations.

The Phoenix Suns owe Nash an opportunity at a ring, and what better consolation prize for the franchise than that of Andrew Bynum—the league’s second best center with a world of potential. 

Nash would be a near-perfect fit for the Lakers’ new offensive system, and would probably be able to run it even better than the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo considering his familiarity with pick and role sets and his ability to stroke it from distance. 

While Nash and Kobe would headline the backcourt, a frontcourt of Pau Gasol and Marcin Gortat wouldn’t be too shabby either. The Polish Hammer is posting similar numbers to Bynum this year, 16 points and 10 rebounds, and has proven himself to be extremely consistent. 

3) Jazz & Rockets

Lakers Receive: Paul Millsap, Goran Dragic, Chase Budinger

Jazz Receive: Kevin Martin

Rockets Receive: Pau Gasol

You can check it out here.

This trade offers improvements at both the point guard and small forward positions, while not sacrificing production in the frontcourt. 

Paul Millsap has established himself as one of the league’s best power forwards, as evidenced by his PER of nearly 23. Due to the Jazz’s loaded frontline though, they might be able to give him up in return for the likes of a solid, offensive perimeter player (i.e. Kevin Martin). 

In addition to Millsap, the Lakers’ would receive a proven, youthful point guard in Goran Dragic, and an athletic small forward in Chase Budinger. Dragic has shown glimpses of his ability to knife through opposing defenses, and Budinger can both stroke the three and slash to the cup. 

It isn’t the Lakers’ ideal trade, but it does address both of the Lakers’ needs, albeit to a much lesser degree than Los Angeles fans have been anticipating. 

2) 76ers & Rockets

Lakers Receive: Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Andre Iguodala, Spencer Hawes

76ers Receive: Andrew Bynum

Rockets Receive: Pau Gasol, Mavericks’ Protected 1^st Round Draft Pick (via Lakers)

You can check it out here (with the exception of the draft pick).

This is more of two trades in one, but I decided to combine them in the interest of time and to make the salaries work. 

This trade is very peculiar and interesting to me because, in theory, the Lakers would no longer have a decisive advantage in the post; they would be shifting to a more well rounded starting lineup. 

Kyle Lowry and Andre Iguodala are no doubt upgrades from Fisher and Barnes/World Peace. Lowry is having a breakout season, and, although Iguodala has been struggling thus far, we know what he is capable of providing, especially if he was in the seemingly more fitting “Robin role” on the Lakers. 

As much as people think that Luis Scola is a downgrade from Pau Gasol, he is actually as good of a replacement as the Lakers could get in terms of production and similarity in skill set. Scola is currently averaging over 15 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, and is coming of a career year last year where he averaged over 18 points and eight rebounds. Compare that Gasol’s 16.7 points and 10.5 rebounds this season, and you’ll see that although there is quite a dip in rebounds, Scola offers a similar level of output as Gasol. 

As far as the Spencer Hawes versus Andrew Bynum situation would go, I won’t even try to make an argument for Hawes being comparable to Bynum. The fact of the matter is that it would be a huge loss, but I believe that the advantage that we would gain at the point guard and small forward positions might be enough to get over that loss. 

Although I am more so in favor of just making the Pau for Lowry and Scola deal, I can’t help but be interested about an NBA 2k12-esque trade scenario that would completely reshape the identity of the Lakers. 

1) Magic, Nets & Rockets

I tried to come up with a trade scenario that would land the Lakers both Deron Williams and Dwight Howard, but, unlike Mark Cuban, I’m a realist. 

Here is the impossible trade scenario that would land the Lakers both superstars, if you were interested. (You’ll have to add in the Lakers’ newly acquired draft pick from the Mavs, as well as other picks and cash considerations to make it even the slightest bit realistic.) 

After you’re done laughing at the previous trade, let’s shift to moves that would land the Lakers with either Dwight Howard or Deron Williams.

First, Dwight. 

Lakers Receive: Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Ryan Anderson

Magic Receive: Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Mavericks’ Protected 1^st Round Draft Pick (via Lakers)

You can check it out here (with the exception of the draft pick).

The only way the Magic would be willing to trade Dwight is if somebody absorbed the horrendous contract of Hedo Turkoglu, and the only way the Lakers would be willing to take it on is if there was a little more on the table (Ryan Anderson) in exchange for a little more from the Lakers (1^st Round Draft Pick). 

I think that this is by far the best trade scenario on the table for the Magic, although I doubt they would be willing to give up Anderson in addition to Dwight. Considering they’re facing Superman’s exit though, I think they would seriously consider it. 

The Lakers get the league’s most coveted big to pair with superstar Kobe Bryant (Shaq-Kobe Version 2.0), and get a phenomenally talented and efficient power forward in Ryan Anderson. 

The Magic start fresh with the league’s best frontcourt duo and make an attempt to rebuild around them over the next year. 

The only problem with this trade is that I think the Magic are going to hold onto Dwight and try to keep him long term, regardless of the potential consequences down the road. 

This only means one thing: that Deron Williams, assuming that the Nets too cannot acquire Howard, will look to be dealt.

Lakers Receive: Deron Williams

Nets Receive: Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Goran Dragic, Mavericks’ Protected 1^st Round Draft Pick (via Lakers)

Rockets Receive: Pau Gasol, Anthony Morrow

You can check it out here (with the exception of the draft pick).

The Lakers receive one of the league’s top five point guards to match with Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum, and company. The Nets receive a fairly young, promising core of players and a future first round draft pick. The Rockets receive their sought after star in Gasol and a consolation prize in Anthony Morrow. 

The Lakers and Rockets finally get pieces they’ve been wanting since the NBA vetoed a trade landing similar pieces in Houston, New Orleans and Los Angeles back in the offseason, while the Nets realize that the Williams experiment was a failure and start anew.