Charlotte Hornets: Terry Rozier, PG/SG
I wanted to go with Gordon Hayward here, but he is older and at this point, a trip over a loose shoelace away from missing extended time with an injury. Which is why I went with Terry Rozier. "Scary Terry" might not be the most lavish of names to come through trade rumors for the Lakers, but hear me out. Rozier is easily having the best season of his career for a lowly Charlotte Hornets team that should be focusing on rebuilding rather than being mediocre at losing. Rozier is averaging 23.6 points, 7.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game with a shooting line of (46.3/37.0/85.4). His points per game and assists per game are career highs.
Rozier is having an impressive career turnaround in Charlotte. He has quickly gone from an energizer/microwave scorer off the bench in Boston to a reliable, consistent, asset. It is yet to be seen if Rozier can match this production for a championship-contending team, but his time with the Boston Celtics suggests that he can. Rozier is not the biggest 6-foot-1 point-of-attack defender, but his strong frame and long 6-foot-8 wingspan allow him to not be overmatched defensively often.
The Lakers should be looking for players who can run the offense, hit open threes, and can hold their own on the defensive end. Rozier checks all three of those boxes. I also personally think that he would just look super cool in the Purple and Gold. He strikes me as a Laker. He plays with heart and effort and you see that in every play. I can see him now, pickpocketing Steph Curry at the three-point line, sparking a transition opportunity for the Lakers where he either pulls up from three himself or takes it to the hoop to liven up the LA crowd with a hellacious dunk.
Either way, the Lakers should look to bring "Scary Terry" in before the trade deadline, to help ignite the championship spark this team seems to be lacking right now.
The Lakers are far from a complete team, but with one big move that can easily change. Pascal Siakam, Dejounte Murray, and Terry Rozier pack similar traits in different body sizes. All three are able to run the offense, self-create, create for others, defend well, and provide an energy boost to a somewhat dormant team. If the Lakers want to make a big trade, they should look no further than bringing in any of these three. The added bonus to these three moves is that all three of their current respective teams are underperforming which could mean the Lakers could acquire them for cheap.