The Los Angeles Lakers have fallen to a mediocre 13-11 record on the 2024-25 season thus far, good for just the eighth seed in the bunched-up Western Conference. In fairness, L.A. is just a scant 5.5 games behind the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder (18-5). Then again, the Lakers are also just 1.5 games better than the 12-13 Sacramento Kings, the West’s No. 12 seed.
Things are quite precarious in Hollywood, as a long-term injury to either of the Lakers’ two (admittedly aging) All-NBA superstars, center Anthony Davis and power forward LeBron James, could knock the team out of being in the play-in mix.
The biggest problem for the Lakers is their defensive woes along the wing, where only backup small forward Cam Reddish and reserve point guard Gabe Vincent, neither of whom seems to want to shoot, grade as plus defenders.
In Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report’s latest round-up of blockbuster trade pitches, Los Angeles could reunite with a two-time former Laker that, clearly, they never should have let leave in the first place.
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schröder
Brooklyn Nets Receive: D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Cam Reddish, Christian Wood, 2029 first-round pick (top-5 protected)
“At the heart of the Lakers’ many issues is a defense that ranks 27th overall (117.7 rating). As much as Los Angeles may desire a third star, getting a wing who can guard multiple positions at a high level and knock down shots is a more realistic goal,” Swartz notes.
Swartz makes a salient point. The Lakers don’t have a ton of future draft assets that they could offload in a deal for a superstar.
Brooklyn currently boasts a 10-14 record on the year, but in the East, that’s good for the No. 8 seed in the conference. The team clearly aspires to bottom out and leverage its current veteran assets — which, beyond Finney-Simth and Schröder, also includes tradable seasoned pieces like Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton.
“Finney-Smith is averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and connecting on 42.2 percent of his threes for the Nets this season while playing his usual stellar defense. He’d be a candidate to start in L.A. in a frontline with LeBron James and Anthony Davis,” Swartz writes, suggesting that the more defensively limited Rui Hachimura might be demoted if he’s kept around following this kind of deal.
Schröder initially suited up for the Lakers in 2020-21 via trade, and subsequently re-joined them in 2022-23 as a free agent on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal. Thanks to his superlative two-way play, he inked a solid two-year, $25.4 million deal with the Toronto Raptors. He was traded to Brooklyn midway through the 2023-24 season, and will be a free agent this summer.
“The rebuilding Nets collect a lightly protected future first-round pick, can try to rehab Russell’s value and pick up 21-year-old Hood-Schifino, the No. 17 overall pick in 2023. It’s a win-win for two franchises that have different goals this season and beyond,” Swartz adds.
