NBA Trade Rumors: It doesn't appear as if the Los Angeles Lakers are going to be able to pull off a move for Dejounte Murray after all.
Just a few days ago, the traction surrounding a potential Dejounte Murray trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was growing. There was even some belief around the NBA pundits that a Murray trade to the Lakers was nearing the point of a foregone conclusion. However, according to a recent report, that may not seem to be the case anymore. And perhaps there are many that were getting ahead of themselves.
According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the chances of the Lakers landing Murray via trade before the deadline is considered to be "unrealistic." A lot can change between now and the February 8 trade deadline, but it's sounding like this "pipe dream" trade isn't going to happen.
Less than two weeks ahead of the trade deadline, where does that leave the Lakers?
Have the Los Angeles Lakers ran out of solutions?
If the Lakers aren't able to pull off a sizable move at the NBA Trade Deadline, that likely doesn't bode well for their chances heading into the stretch run. At this point in the season, the Lakers have a ton of room to make up in the West standings. With as inconsistent as the Lakers have been, it's hard to trust this team to suddenly be able to flip a switch down the stretch.
Sure, LeBron and AD are one of the best duos in the West. However, at this point in their careers, they've proven they can't carry the team alone. At least not to a championship level. So far this season, neither Austin Reaves nor D'Angelo Russell has been a consistent enough of a supporting star to help the Lakers pick up where they left off a season ago.
At least for now, Los Angeles looks nothing like the team that made a run to the Western Conference Finals a year ago. If there's no big move at the deadline, you can't help but wonder if Los Angeles has finally run out of solutions for this core.
Considering that LeBron could end up testing free agency after this season, there's even more pressure on the front office to make a move. But if one isn't there for the taking, where does that leave the Lakers? The next week and a half is going to be so crucial to the future of this team.