Shannon Sharpe says the LA Lakers are right to not give up 2 draft picks in a trade: "[They] are not a contending team, give up 2 draft picks for what, to be in the play-in?"
It's been a rough start to the year for the LA Lakers, and many want to see them make a move of some sort. That said, one analyst thinks they've been smart not to burn through their remaining assets.
Despite having LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the league's most historic franchise continues to struggle. They're second-to-last in the Western Conference at 2-8, with only the Houston Rockets (2-9) below them.
The root of their issues lies in their supporting cast. After making no needle-moving deals in the offseason, the LA Lakers have one of the league's worst groups of role players. On top of that, they couldn't find anyone to take on Russell Westbrook and his massive contract.
Part of why a Westbrook trade didn't happen is because LA's front office is unwilling to part with its draft picks in 2027 and 2029. While some feel that moving those should be a no-brainer, Shannon Sharpe is of a different mind:
"You trade those two first-round picks to do what? Be in the play-in?" Sharpe said on 'Skip and Shannon: Undisputed' "You're not contending. This is not a contending team, no way around it.
"They've come to the realization that this is a bad team."
“The Lakers are not a contending team, it’s just that simple. Give up the 2 draft picks for what? To be in the Play-In?”
— @ShannonSharpe on latest reports Lakers are resisting trading their future first round picks https://t.co/bMXD85UCd3
Should the LA Lakers be in a rush to trade their two first-round picks?
While the LA Lakers shouldn't openly waste what LeBron James has left in his career, Shannon Sharpe brings up a valid point. Even if they were to make a trade with those two picks, that move likely isn't getting them where they want to be.
The roster simply has too many flaws that one trade isn't going to solve. For starters, they desperately need outside shooting. If LA is going to maximize the two-man game of LeBron and Anthony Davis, they need proper floor spacing. As of now, the Lakers are the league's worst 3-point shooting team at 29.1%.
The main trade often brought up for the Lakers is sending Russell Westbrook to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. While this might fix their depth problem, it doens't turn them into a contender overnight.
Turner and Hield are two quality players who can fill a void, but their impact will still be limited. Given how stacked the Western Conference is, they would still be a middle-of-the-pack team at best.
As Sharpe said, it'd be senseless for LA to give up its remaining picks when it's clear they're far from a contender.