Lakers Plan To Trade Patrick Beverley, Sign A Favorite Of LeBron James

The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have the best record at the moment but general manager Rob Pelinka plans to make a few more moves this year. According to recent sources, the Lakers are willing to trade Patrick Beverley and get players who can actually contribute alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

The front office made a move to trade Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks for for Rui Hachimura. There’s more to come.

New trade moves for the purple and gold

Brian Windhorst from ESPN believes that the Lakers want to trade Beverley ahead of the trade deadline. He could be the perfect trade candidate for the purple and gold.

Getting Beverley was a big surprise for Lakers fans. He had beef with Russell Westbrook, but the Lakers decided to sign him anyways. Beverley may not put up his best numbers, but he sure knows how to stop players on opposing teams.

Sam Amico from Hoops Wire said that the Lakers plan to sign Caris LeVert from the Clevelan Cavaliers. He didn’t mind saying that LeBron is a huge fan of LeBron.

“So far everyone from the Pistons to the Hornets to Clippers and Jazz has expressed an interest in LeVert,” Amico wrote. “And yes, even the Lakers have kicked around the idea of a LeVert trade in their scanning of rival rosters in their search for more help, sources told Hoops Wire. (In fact, it’s been said that LeVert is a favorite of LeBron James.)”

"I think it's more likely for the Lakers to look for a [Patrick] Beverley flop than there is to be a blockbuster deal at this point."

Brian Windhorst on what other moves the Lakers could make before the trade deadline#LakeShow pic.twitter.com/FTDHqGLiJe

— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) January 26, 2023

LeVert spent times with the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. He is a free agent this summer.

“But right now, decent offers for LeVert don’t seem to be out there,” Amico wrote. “And the Cavs are far from determined to trade him, sources said. In fact, they like the team as it’s constructed, and are willing to let it gel and work on upgrades during the offseason.”

Lakers to trade Beverley for more efficient players

The Lakers are willing to trade for a few more players. They will look for players who make sense for Darvin Ham’s game plan.

“I think the calculus for the Lakers is to win a championship or not. There’s no in-between or incremental growth,” Pelinka said. “So as we analyze opportunities, we have to do it through that lens. And, I said this at the beginning of the season, if there’s an opportunity to get all the way to the end and win a championship, there’s no resource we’ll hold on to if we feel like that’s there.

“The completely unwise thing to do would be to shoot a bullet early and then not have it later when you have a better championship move you can make. That’s a really delicate calculus and something the entire front office, we evaluate with all the moves. If we see a move that puts us as a front-runner to get another championship here, the 18th one here, we’ll make it. And if that move doesn’t present itself, we’ll be smart and make it at a later time.”