Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Los Angeles Lakers
One of the main reasons getting Kevin Knox could be beneficial for the Lakers is because he has a lot of potential and is a great athlete. Knox is in his third season now with the Knicks, but back when he was in college at Kentucky, he was one of the most versatile forwards in the whole country.
He is not known for being much of a perimeter threat, but he is able to use his bigger frame to attack smaller opponents and get to the rim with ease. Standing about 6’7”, Kevin Knox could be a great combo-forward for the Lakers and a young player that LeBron James could mentor.
Knox has the ability to grow into a solid two-way player and has the intangibles to be a great all-around talent, but he is still a very unpolished player — making him an intriguing name to monitor in NBA trade rumors. By having LeBron James help Knox in his development, the Lakers could have their next small-forward in life after LeBron James.
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Talen Horton-Tucker also possesses a lot of potential to grow into a great wing, but he is slightly undersized for the modern day wing in the NBA and his upside is limited. Horton-Tucker is more of a score-first type of player and does not really have the abilities to be a great two-way talent like Knox does.
In addition to getting Knox, the Lakers would also receive two future second-round picks, which they could use to start filling out their roster with young players with potential. The only two players on the Lakers’ roster that are 25 years old or younger and actually play are Kyle Kuzma and Talen Horton-Tucker, which is why L.A. needs to be cognizant of the fact that they do not have a young core.
Chasing championships with LeBron James and Anthony Davis is a must right now for the Lakers, but when the time comes, they have to be prepared for James to retire, which is why they need to have sustainable, youthful talents to pick up the slack for this team. Plus, it is never a bad idea to have young talents to depend on during the regular season, so keep that in mind as the NBA trade rumors begin to pick up closer to the deadline.
