The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2021-22 NBA season with expectations of being the best team in the entire league, but they are 48 games into the season and have yet to intimidate anyone!
Currently 24-24 on the season, the Lakers have been extremely mediocre and they have a lot of work to do if they are to not just be a contending team in the Western Conference, but actually locked up a playoff spot.
Of course excuses can be made about Anthony Davis’ knee injury and LeBron James missing some time due to an abdominal injury, but the Lakers just simply do not have the talent that other top-tier teams in this league have. Trading for Russell Westbrook in the offseason is looking like one of the worst deals the Lakers could have made not only because of fit, but because of the tax and cap implications Westbrook’s contract brought upon this franchise.
Between Westbrook, James and Davis, the Lakers are paying their three All-Stars a combined $120.6M this season, already putting them well over the salary cap. Being close to $18M over the tax line this season in total, Los Angeles has their work cut out for themselves with just about two weeks until the NBA trade deadline.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Targets For Lakers Using Talen Horton-Tucker In Trade Package
Some kind of change needs to happen to this roster and with Russell Westbrook not expected to go anywhere, Los Angeles could turn their attention to trying to leverage other contracts on their roster like Talen Horton-Tucker ($9.5M) and Kendrick Nunn ($5M).
Who they could possibly get for these two and what team would be willing to trade for them are two key questions that would need to be answered, but Eric Gordon is a name that has been mentioned in trade rumors pertaining to the Lakers.
The last thing the Lakers need is another veteran player on a big contract, but Eric Gordon has been having himself a terrific season with the rebuilding Houston Rockets.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Targets For Lakers Using Talen Horton-Tucker In Trade Package
Through 41 games this year, Gordon is averaging 14.6 points, 3.2 assists and is shooting 44.5% from three-point range, the second-best three-point shooting percentage in the league. Being owed roughly $37.8M through next season and then $20.9M in the final year of his contract, which is non-guaranteed, trading for Eric Gordon’s contract would be tough, but the Lakers could possibly make this acquisition work.
Could Los Angeles make a big move by trading for an experienced veteran in Eric Gordon at the trade deadline? Let’s take a look at a hypothetical trade deadline deal put together by Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz featuring both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets.
