LeBron James has to be in his feelings right now, and it seems like he is. The King might have to run it back with the same roster that has kept him under .500 for two seasons now, and that is not good news for the Lakers organization or Lakers fans. James himself seems annoyed that another star player has failed to be brought to L.A. Kyrie Irving was the dream target for him and the Lakers, but the point guard is now officially a Dallas Maverick after the blockbuster deal that included Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and draft consideration was finalized. That means the best-case scenario of Kyrie linking up with LeBron again could be over for good because Kyrie might settle for being a Mavericks player for good.
With the trade deadline only a few days away, the Lakers are certainly scrambling for a way to improve the roster. Only one player truly has trade value right now that is untouchable, and it is the same player who the Lakers have been trying to move since last season: Russell Westbrook. With the Irving deal dead, there are only three trade packages the Lakers can go after with the means of helping LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the court.
While these trade packages do not net the Lakers a player of Irving’s caliber, it brings them a lot closer to making the playoffs and pushing for the Western Conference Finals than keeping their current core together. Here are the only three trades left for the Los Angeles Lakers to consider before the February 9th trade deadline passes, and they all involve former MVP and current 6th Man of the Year favorite Russell Westbrook.
Right The Wrongs And Trade For DeRozan
Lakers Receive: DeMar DeRozan
Chicago Bulls Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick
DeMar DeRozan is continuing to play like an All-Star this season as he is averaging 26.0 PPG for the Chicago Bulls. Chicago is not one of the best teams in the East this year, holding a 25-27 record which is not good enough for DeRozan or the other players on the team. DeRozan and LaVine were supposed to be a match made in heaven because both players can create their own offense and be leaders of a franchise, but it is not working as their below-average record suggests. Even last year, Chicago was one of the top teams in the East but fell flat as they finished 6th in the East and lost in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Looking back at DeRozan’s track record, he might have been a better fit than Westbrook from the start. As reported, Los Angeles made a massive mistake in not closing a deal on the All-Star offensive player before they went after Russell Westbrook. Before the trade deadline, the Lakers have a chance to close a deal right now because the Bulls could be serious sellers before the trade deadline because they won’t win a championship with DeMar as their best player. The Lakers can add one of the best pure scorers to play the third option behind LeBron and Davis, a scary thought to imagine.
