NBA Rumors: Exploring three trade targets the Los Angeles Lakers should be preparing to pursue after the bold move for Dorian Finney-Smith.
Since November 21, the Los Angeles Lakers have found themselves in a pretty bad funk. During the last month-plus of the regular season, the Lakers are just 8-9. The team has quietly won six of their last eight games but it was pretty clear that upgrades were needed to their roster if the Lakers wanted to be considered a serious threat in the Western Conference. Over the weekend, those upgrades seemed to begin.
The Lakers officially acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks. DFS will be a huge asset to the frontcourt and on the wing as he'll add plenty of flexibility on both ends of the floor.
Even though the Lakers made a clear upgrade with the addition of DFS, it's pretty clear that this couldn't have been the team's only move ahead of the trade deadline. With a clear need to add some depth to the backcourt, you'd have to imagine there's still another move coming for Los Angeles. As we inch closer to the trade deadline, we explore three trade targets that the Lakers should pursue after the bold move for DFS.
Malcolm Brogdon, Washington Wizards
Looking for versatile help in the backcourt, Malcolm Brogdon is one name that could make a ton of sense for the Los Angeles Lakers. He may not be the premier name that he once was in the NBA but he's certainly still a productive player at this point in his career. In 14 games played this season, Brogdon is averaging 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists on 46 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent shooting from 3-point range.
As a veteran who could play either guard position and certainly offer something in the way of playmaking, Brogdon is a potential target that could make a ton of sense for the Lakers - even more so considering the asking price wouldn't be high.
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz
If the Lakers are looking for another scoring guard to come off the bench for the team, one that could potentially inject a spark into the team as they prepare for the second half of the season, Jordan Clarkson is one name that could make sense. As a player that should be a contender at this point in his career, Clarkson doesn't make much sense in Utah.
Depending on the asking price, the Lakers could probably easily swing a move for the offensive-minded guard. At this point, the Lakers would simply be looking for depth. And while Clarkson may not bring the playmaking element that Los Angeles may be looking for, he could add another offensive threat off the bench that they simply don't have at their disposal at the moment.
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
If the Los Angeles Lakers were looking to take a big swing ahead of the trade deadline, I still think they should kick tires on the idea of trading for Trae Young. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how willing the Atlanta Hawks would be to trading him right now but if he's available, Los Angeles should at least put in another call.
The Lakers could use an additional playmaker in the backcourt and while Young has left a bit to be desired in terms of his overall shooting efficiencies, he's certainly looked the part in terms of playmaking as he currently leads the league in assists per game. He'd be a great fit for what the Lakers could be missing in the backcourt.