Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal

Here’s a thought experiment. You are a mad scientist. You’ve developed a machine that lets you produce fully customized NBA players. In this strange, dystopian future, you’ve been tasked with developing a guard who complements LeBron James and Russell Westbrook.

That guard probably looks a lot like Gary Trent Jr.

After all, he’s one of the best 3-and-D guards in the entire league. Trent doesn’t need the ball to be effective. On the other hand, Russell Westbrook very much does. For that reason alone, Trent Jr. is an ideal target for the Lakers.

After all, James may have value off the ball, but he’s clearly maximized with it in his hands as well. That was effectively the reason for the Lakers’ disappointing 2021-22 season: James’ fit with Westbrook. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that Westbrook’s fit with James was problematic.

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Either way, if the Lakers can’t find a reasonable trade for Westbrook this summer, they’ll need every other key player on this roster to complement the pair (hoping, of course, that Anthony Davis can get his three-point efficiency back to his career norms). Targetting players like Gary Trent Jr. is a good first step towards achieving that goal.