Report: Failed Trade Would Have Landed Lakers Sharpshooter and Former Lottery Pick

The Los Angeles Lakers were linked with many players in the last few months. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka didn’t make a move at the trade deadline. The team could really use extra help early in the season. Pelinka had a chance to make a few moves but not every move was a good idea. Some moves were labeled as mission impossible. One failed trade would have given the Lakers a sharpshooter.

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report reported about the trade between the Lakers and the New York Knicks. According to them, the Lakers had a chance to get Alec Burks and Cam Reddish.

“And while New York’s front office hoped to move veterans such as Alec Burks to free playing time for younger Knicks prospects, management failed to finish several deal structures that were on the table for Burks, sources said,” Fischer explained.

“As with the three-team structure between the Lakers and Raptors—which would have sent Cam Reddish and Alec Burks to Los Angeles, landed Talen Horton-Tucker and Nerlens Noel in Toronto, and brought at least Goran Dragic plus the Raptors’ 2022 first-round pick—those talks fell short with the Knicks’ desire to receive more draft compensation, sources said.”

A failed trade may have changed the outcome

The Lakers had a chance to make a move, but they didn’t. Russell Westbrook was the biggest problem early in the regular season and his situation hasn’t improved at all. However, Pelinka didn’t accept the offer Houston made. The Rockets wanted Westbrook and a first-round pick. Losing a first-rounder would be a big blow for the team. Pelinka really needs this pick because LeBron James won’t stay around forever.

“We were aggressive in a lot of conversations trying to improve the team – we always want to put this team in the best position to win a championship,” Pelinka said after the trade deadline. “But ultimately we didn’t find a deal that had a net positive effect for the short term success of the team and the long term, and those are both things we consider.”