How This Trade Impacts Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have done a solid job thus far this offseason making some changes with what they had available. They don’t have cap space to spend, yet came away with what could end up being multiple rotation players when they signed Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Thomas Bryant.
Those signings are a complete 180-degree turn from their strategy last year when they signed older players beyond their prime. Out of that group, Toscano-Anderson is the oldest at 29 years old and three of them are 24 years of age or younger.
While age certainly played a factor, the Lakers also targeted two-way players that can get the job done on the wing. Alec Burks is another player that fits that mold while offering more versatility.
Last season Burks was thrust into the starting point guard role for the New York Knicks when Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose were sidelined. While sometimes rocky, he handled the job about as well as you could expect a natural wing player to do so. That level of playmaking would fit well on the Lakers’ roster.
Burks is also an excellent 3-point shooter, making 38 percent of his attempts in his career. In two seasons with the Knicks, he upped that number to 40.8 percent. He shot better on 3-point attempts than 2-point attempts with New York.
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The former first-round pick also possesses the size to defend multiple positions. He can handle backcourt players and wings alike, providing Los Angeles with someone that can fit in different schemes depending on what Darvin Ham needs that night.
The price, based on how much he would help in multiple areas, is relatively cheap. Talen Horton-Tucker is nearly 10 years younger and possesses some upside, but the Lakers need players that can help them win now. In that regard, Burks is a huge upgrade.
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Acquiring him without needing to surrender a first-round pick, which will likely be needed to move on from Russell Westbrook, is a big win for Los Angeles as well.
