L.A. Lakers Trade Idea: How Would Deron Williams Look As a Laker?
The Carmelo Anthony saga is finally over—now the teams that were publicly and secretly bidding for the forward's services must adjust their focus to other alternatives.
The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the teams rumored to be in the hunt for Anthony and now that the New York Knicks have taken that option off the table, where do the Lakers turn for help improving their roster?
There are numerous marginal players the Lakers can entertain for the short term, but the convergence of stars in Miami and New York has to have general manager Mitch Kupchak considering the long view.
The next batch of high-profile free agents will include players such as Deron Williams, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul, and it makes sense that Los Angeles would be in the hunt for one or more of those talents.
It seems plausible that Paul will attempt to join Amar'e Stoudemire and Anthony in New York, considering the close friendship that Anthony and Paul share, but less mentioned has been the potential fate of Williams.
Conventional wisdom says that Williams will look to re-sign in Utah once his current contract expires, but the recent riff between Williams and former coach Jerry Sloan throws that assumption into doubt.
We now know that Williams and Sloan did not enjoy the same type of point guard-coach relationship that Sloan shared with former Jazz great John Stockton and if Williams hopes to compete for a championship anytime soon, then a change of location may be needed.
Last offseason, the Jazz lost key players such as Carlos Boozer, Wesley Matthews and Ronnie Brewer to free agency, and although Utah did manage to land Al Jefferson they have not recovered from losing so many impact players.
Furthermore, the prospects of attracting major free agents to Salt Lake City looks slim when compared to the advantages of playing in a major market.
The point guard position has been a constant issue for the Lakers, but Williams and his skill package could be a perfect fit for Phil Jackson's triangle offense, even more so than Paul.
Jackson has made it no secret that he loves bigger point guards and at 6'3", Williams definitely fits that description.
More importantly, Williams is equally comfortable playing off the ball, which is a key point considering that the triangle offense can be initiated from any point on the floor.
Williams averages 21 points per game, but he doesn't have to dominate the ball to be effective and he is superb at using his height to create mismatches in the post.
Although Williams is not known for his defense, he is an above-average defender and what he lacks in quickness, Williams more than makes up in range, fundamentals and defensive principles.
It may be a long shot for the Lakers to bring Williams to Los Angeles, but it's hard to picture the team not making a major push for a high-profile free agent, considering the sequence of recent events in the NBA.
The league now seems to be trending towards teams with a roster of at least three superstars and if the Lakers are smart, they will recognize this development for what it is and strike while the iron is hot.
The coming months will bring some tough choices for Kupchak and Lakers owner Jerry Buss; the future may hinge on whether or not they are prepared to make them.
