NBA Trade Deadline: Lakers eye quartet of playmaking solutions ft.Bruce Brown Jr. & more
With about three weeks to go until the NBA trade deadline, the LA Lakers are one of the many teams seeking out upgrades. Recent reports suggest they have their eyes on a handful of players who can provide them backcourt help.
During a recent appearance on FanDuel TV, NBA insider Shams Charania touched on a number of names LA has on their radar. Among the most notable players were Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks and Bruce Brown, who was recently traded to the Toronto Raptors in the Pascal Siakam deal.
"The Lakers are doing their due diligence. Dejounte Murray, Bruce Brown Jr., who just got traded to the Raptors, Tyus Jones, Terry Rozier. I'm told those are names to keep an eye on," Shams said.
Follwing what many considered a great offseason, LA was a team expected to be in the title hunt this year. However, LeBron James and company find themselves in ninth place in the Western Conference at the halfway point. Things have been especially downhill for them since winning the first ever In-Season Tournament.
Which of these players would be the best fit for the LA Lakers?
Each player in the group named has something of value to bring to the LA Lakers. However, getting either Dejounte Murray, Terry Rozier, or Bruce Brown might make a little more sense than Jones.
Of this trio, Murray clearly has the biggest upside. He is a former All-Star and All-Defense guard who can raise LA's ceiling on both ends of the floor. Most importantly, he's proven he can thrive playing next to a ball dominant star in Trae Young. Not only Murray run the offense alongside LeBron James, but he can be a defensive stopped in the backcourt in big-time matchups.
Fresh off being an X-factor for the Denver Nuggets in their title run, Brown could also be a high-impact player for the Lakers. He too is a rangy defender, and is very good at moving without the ball on offense. Brown can thrive as a cutter next to LeBron the same way he did with Nikola Jokic last season.
Rozier isn't a flashy name in any sense, but is the kind of player who could thrive with LA. Since LeBron James is the lead facilitator of the offense, the roster needs capable scorers around him. As an offensive-minded guard, Rozier can easily slide into this role.
This season, Rozier is averaging a career-high 23.6 points for the Charlotte Hornets. His production likely wouldn't stay at this level in LA, but his score-first mindset makes him an ideal backcourt complement to LeBron.
Some might forget, but Rozier is someone who isn't scared of the big moment either. He had multiple standout performances in the playoffs with the Boston Celtics. This is also crucial for the Lakers, who are looking to have another deep postseason run this year.