Player transaction season has apparently already begun in the NBA. On Sunday, the Memphis Grizzlies sent shooting guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, plus four unprotected first-round draft picks, and it has sparked speculation about the value of other sought-after players on the trade market.
The Los Angeles Lakers, of course, are expected to aggressively pursue a starting-level center and possibly a two-way wing via trade. However, everyone knows they badly need one, which means they will likely have little, if any, leverage or posture in negotiations.
ClutchPoints insider Anthony Irwin wrote that this situation is reportedly hurting the Lakers in trade talks.
Via ClutchPoints:
“Sources close to the Lakers and around the league say that trade talks have not gone as the Lakers would have liked because teams are once again trying to benefit directly from the Lakers’ bungling of the center position and mishandling of their assets over the last few years,” Irwin wrote.
Some believe plenty of executives are already reluctant to help the Lakers to begin with due to hatred of the franchise, which has led fans to speculate that there is a so-called “Lakers tax” the team has to pay in prospective deals. The bad and questionable decisions Los Angeles has made over the last few years, which include failing to secure help at the center position before Anthony Davis was traded for Luka Doncic, have resulted in it being in a situation right now that won’t be easy to fix.
“The worst spot you can put yourself in is trying to negotiate while everyone knows about your desperation,” a former executive said when asked about this predicament. “The whole league knows that not only do the Lakers need a starting center and probably a backup, but they need to bring someone in who Luka is going to want to play with. They basically have to hope someone else reaches their current level of desperation so that the talks can be held on even footing.”
Doncic seems content with his new team, but he can opt out of his contract next summer, and it is believed L.A. is on the clock as far as showing him it is not only committed to building a championship team around him but also able to do so.
It has the expiring contracts of Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber and Gabe Vincent to dangle in trade talks, as well as one future first-round draft pick and multiple first-round pick swaps. The fact that it will likely only have the taxpayer mid-level exception of roughly $5.7 million adds to its need to make something happen on the trade market.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Insider gives bad news on Lakers’ pursuit of a starting-level center
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
