The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of holes on their roster, and not a lot of ways to fix them. This season, the job for Rob Pelina is to figure out how to plug the holes, and it seems he already had a few solutions in mind.
“In terms of the names the Lakers might be after whenever Pelinka does finally address the holes in this roster, league sources continue to point to Kyle Kuzma of Washington, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith of Brooklyn, Walker Kessler of Utah, Bruce Brown of Toronto, and others,” wrote Anthony Irwin. “One name league sources say to keep an eye on is Zach LaVine, who played well in his return from surgery last year.”
LaVine’s return was overshadowed by Lonzo Ball’s long-awaited comeback, but he played pretty well for the Bulls in limited minutes. In the 1245-123 win over the Timberwolves, he dropped 19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists.
It’s no secret that LaVine wants out from the Bulls after their falling out last season. Years of losing created turmoil in the locker room and Zach’s unhappiness led to a toxic environment for the entire team. The Bulls tried their best to play through it but the ordeal became a massive distraction that completely hijacked the season.
Despite the Bulls’ best efforts, they never found a suitable trade for LaVine and he’s set to start the season in a Chicago Bulls inform. So far, all indications are that the Bulls will try to trade LaVine again before the deadline, and the Lakers will be listening.
LeBron James, 39, needs all the help he can get to win his fifth championship, and after a summer of inactivity from the front office, pressure is building for them to make a move. With only so many assets to spare, the Lakers have to keep their expectations in check but Zach LaVine could be someone worth getting if he takes off to a good start this season.
The 2x All-Star is a scoring machine who once averaged 27.4 points per game for the Bulls. His quick step, high motor, and impressive athleticism make him a chore to stop defensively and he’s had a lot of success as a shot-creator in the backcourt.
For a Lakers deep in desperate need of scoring, LaVine would be an ideal fit. While his efficiency and shot selection leave much to be desired, LaVine’s scoring potential will help open things up for LeBron James and Anthony Davis. It will also alleviate the pressure off role-players like Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell, who could slide into a more comfortable position in the rotation.
It remains to be seen when/if the Lakers will trade for LaVine but it’s clear that GM Rob Pelinka sees some areas of improvement with his team. Making a deal is the only way to get better and the Lakers are probably better off doing it now than waiting for the deadline when the price goes up.
