NBA 2018-19: 3 Players that the LA Lakers need to trade away
When LeBron James announced that he was going to sign with the LA Lakers, he knew that it was a project that would not bring instant success. The franchise have had a losing record for five consecutive years, and LeBron is arguably the only All-Star on the entire roster.
The Lakers have performed better than many expected, recording impressive recent wins against the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat. The team have won seven of their last 10 games, and look as though they will make the playoffs.
However, the team has been incredibly reliant on LeBron throughout the early part of the season.
If the Lakers want to make a deep run in the playoffs, they will need to make trades this season, rather than wait until the 2019 free agency. So here are the three players that the LA Lakers could trade, in order to bring in new recruits that could fuel them for the remainder of the season.
#3 Michael Beasley
The Lakers signed Beasley to a one-year, $3.5 million contract back in July. LeBron reportedly wanted the franchise to sign the player, having got impressed by Beasley when they teamed up in Miami.
But Beasley has missed most of the season through personal issues, and is averaging just 5 minutes per game in his 4 appearances.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a resurgent season in New York last year, so he will still have some trade value. With the small forwards seemingly not in the Lakers rotation, the franchise will probably look to move him on from the Purple and Gold.