Report: Lakers Called on to Trade Key Player

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the new season with a loss to their city rivals. Well, this initial loss actually motivated players to win their upcoming games. LA is in the middle of a four-game winning streak and has a 6-2 record. Players work well on both sides of the ball. But, the Lakers may face a big weakness in the postseason and they may trade for a key player.

Marc Gasol and Anthony Davis are the only big figures on the roster. When Montrezl Harrell joins the team later in the game, opponents take advantage of his size and this may be a big problem in the offseason.

Lakers to trade for a big man heading into the postseason

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggests that the Lakers trade Harrell for a “stretch big.”

“Unless the Lakers plan to pivot heavily toward using Anthony Davis at center in the second season (he spent 60 percent of his minutes there in the 2020 playoffs), L.A. should diversify its frontcourt looks ahead of time.

“Nemanja Bjelica may not match Harrell’s talent, but the former could enjoy a cleaner fit playing off the Lakers’ stars as a superior spacer and ball-mover. If the Sacramento Kings would throw in someone like Glenn Robinson III—if they’re worried about Marvin Bagley III’s development, they might need Harrell—the Lakers could improve their playoff whole, even if the individual parts aren’t quite as strong.”

Is Bjelica a better fit for the team than Harrell? These two aren’t at the same skill level. Harrell is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and one of the best bench scorers in the league. Bjelica averages eight points per game and 4.8 rebounds.

Bjelica is definitely a better 3-point shooter than the newly-acquired Lakers player. He averages 39% from beyond the arc. Harrell is an impact player and Bjelica is a rotational big man.

Maybe the Lakers will focus on the buyout market later in the season. In 2019-20, the Lakers had excellent size and most NBA teams couldn’t compete with that. Things can easily change overnight. When the Lakers meet the Nuggets or any other similar team, players like Nikola Jokic will have a field day.