One NBA writer has listed three players the Los Angeles Lakers should try to trade for this summer.
Jedd Pagaduan of ClutchPoints believes the Lakers should attempt to acquire Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets small forward Dorian Finney-Smith or Atlanta Hawks power forward John Collins.
“If the Lakers acquire Kyrie Irving, they’re certainly in a strong position to contend for the 2024 NBA championship, especially if they re-sign Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura,” Pagaduan wrote. “Irving is leaps and bounds a better player than D’Angelo Russell, and Russell didn’t exactly end the 2023 NBA playoffs on the best note, even earning a demotion to the bench due to his terrible string of performances against the Denver Nuggets.
“Finney-Smith has plenty of experience defending some of the best players in the league in the playoffs, and he’s a terrific rebounder at the wing. The Mavs sorely missed his presence when they dealt him away. The 30-year-old forward’s ability to space the floor would then be a godsend. Instead of hoping that Jarred Vanderbilt won’t be total zero on offense, they could trot out Finney-Smith and his career 35.7 percent shooting from deep.
“Collins and Anthony Davis should form a deadly inside-and-out duo in the Lakers frontcourt; the current Hawks big man could then play the role of backup center, with head coach Darvin Ham staggering the two’s minutes. Collins should then feast on the openings playmakers such as LeBron James and Austin Reaves (should he re-sign) create.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dorian Finney-Smith, John Collins & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Irving becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Finney-Smith and Collins are under contract.
The Lakers, who lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals in four games, need more shooters and playmakers around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kyrie Irving, Dorian Finney-Smith, John Collins & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Irving is expected to re-sign with the Mavericks, but Finney-Smith and Collins could be had for the right price. It will be interesting to see what the Lakers do this summer if James doesn’t retire and comes back next season.
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