Malcolm Brogdon to the Los Angeles Lakers
Finding a point guard to pair with LeBron and Davis was a priority for the Lakers ahead of the 2020-21 season. Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss responded by landing Dennis Schroder in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder, sending Danny Green to Oklahoma City, only for him to wind up on the Philadelphia 76ers.
Schroder was an energetic point guard that excelled on the offensive end of the floor during his stints with the Thunder and the Atlanta Hawks. However, Schroder has been far from consistent as the third option on the Lakers, scoring zero points in Los Angeles’ lopsided loss in Game 5 versus the Phoenix Suns.
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With Schroder expected to hit NBA free agency — and with him seeking a deal worth $20+ million annually — the Lakers would be better taking their interest elsewhere. While fans would love to see Damian Lillard join forces with James and Davis, Los Angeles doesn’t have even close to enough assets to get the ball rolling for a trade involving Lillard.
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To fill the void at point guard, the Lakers could take their business to the Indiana Pacers, who could be sellers this offseason. Besides Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis, the Pacers could be willing to listen to offers on Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon isn’t the flashiest point guard, by any means, but he’s an underrated player that could get his just due by playing at the Staples Center.
The addition of Brogdon would give Los Angeles an effective outside shooter that is a formidable defender, which would fit perfectly in Frank Vogel’s system. If the Lakers would want to acquire Brogdon, a trade would likely involve Kyle Kuzma, Talen Horton-Tucker, and maybe a third team to take Schroder in a sign-and-trade to be able to inherit the rest of Brogdon’s contract.
