Lakers trade rumors: Front office considering three different paths to deals as Dec. 15 looms, per report

when the season started los angeles lakers The idea is to evaluate the teams that were present on opening night and ask more about the number of future assets to invest in improving the current group. Well, the 20-game mark arrived Wednesday. No deals have been made and fans are starting to get uneasy.

But according to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, the Lakers are operating under a new timeline. Now the Lakers are waiting for his December 15th. This is the day most players who signed free agent contracts in the last offseason can be traded. When the day comes, the Lakers are reportedly considering three different trade scenarios for him.

• What’s clear is Russell Westbrook and one or both of the tradeable first-round picks (2027 and 2029) will get a star or multiple role player package.
• Patrick Beverly, Kendrick Nunn, and a few combinations of role player picks that better meet the immediate needs of shooting and size.
• Two separate transactions. One includes Beverly, Nunn, and first-round picks. The other involves Westbrook and other picks.

Buha said the Lakers are leaning toward Option 2 or 3 at this point. But the team’s upcoming six-game road trip will play a role in determining how much the Lakers are willing to give up for immediate improvement. , taking on some of the best teams in the NBA. the lakers Bucks, cavaliers, raptors, Wizard, piston When 76ers while they are away. The 8-12 Lakers need to win at least half of their games to keep pace in the Western Conference.

The first road is the one the Lakers haven’t been able to take since the offseason. As far as we know, the closest they come to that kind of deal is Indiana Pacers About Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. So far, no known star has been made available at a price the Lakers can afford. If they decide against Indiana’s trade, or if the Pacers take it off the table, it makes sense for them to go with option 2 or 3.

The second option is the easiest. Beverley and Nunn are the only role players earning above the minimum. Both are expired deals. Combined, they should be able to get the Lakers decent players on bad contracts without even including draft capital. Both have performed poorly this season, so neither will particularly go unnoticed.

A third option is a combination of the two. In fact, some might argue that it gives the best overall return. It is possible that Brooke’s contract will be accepted. However, the drawback of this approach lies in continuity development. The Lakers needed his first 20 games of these to learn how to play together. Making a big deal now would interrupt that continuity. By the time the team gets upset, yet another trade will force them to start all over again.

It’s also possible that the Lakers will struggle on their next road trip and the team will decide not to trade at all. Caretaker of LeBron James’ legacy, but the general manager is not bound by what he says at the press conference. For now, the Lakers will allow him the next two weeks of play and make a decision from there.