The Lakers desperately need size, rebounding, and defensive versatility to complement AD… Jakob Poeltl could be the perfect fit in LA 👀
Here’s the PERFECT trade for the Raptors big man 👇https://t.co/oqmq9i7xqV
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) November 30, 2024
The Perfect Trade For Jakob Poeltl
Lakers Receive:
-Jakob Poeltl
-Bruce Brown
Raptors Receive:
-D’Angelo Russell
-Rui Hachimura
-Gabe Vincent
-2029 unprotected first-round pick
Lakers’ errors lead to elimination from NBA Cup, but ‘there’s definitely good stuff’ https://t.co/9ly48xXkI5
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 30, 2024
With the Los Angeles Lakers trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder by two points, and less than 30 seconds remaining in Friday night’s game, the Lakers needed a defensive stop for a chance to tie or take the lead.
As Max Christie crouched in his stance, waiting for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to charge, coach JJ Redick called out a defensive coverage.
Christie, misunderstanding what Redick was signaling, thought his coach was implying the Lakers had a foul to give and fouled Gilgeous-Alexander on a drive. The Lakers did not have a foul to give. The Thunder were already in the bonus — and had been in the bonus for several minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander calmly walked to the free-throw line and sank both shots, extending the Thunder’s lead to four with 22.4 seconds left and essentially icing the game.
“It was a misinterpretation on my part,” Christie said. “I knew the time and score of the game, but I didn’t realize they were in the bonus. … I take responsibility for that. … I’m not going to say that my mistake cost us the entire game, but it was definitely probably the biggest one of the game.”
The Lakers’ 101-93 loss to the Thunder on Friday dropped them to 11-8 and eliminated them from the NBA Cup. Los Angeles has lost three straight home games and four of five games overall, with several coming against teams that project as some of the best in the West (the Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns).
Christie’s foul may have been the loudest error, but it was far from the only one. On the next possession, Austin Reaves, who played through an arm injury he suffered late in the second quarter that required him to briefly leave the game, threw an errant pass to Dalton Knecht that was picked off for a game-sealing dunk by Jalen Williams.
LeBron James, Reaves and Russell combined for 14 of the Lakers’ 17 turnovers, which led to 20 points for the Thunder, who lead the league in points off turnovers. And for a Lakers team that ranks 25th in the NBA in defense, those types of errors are too much to overcome against elite competition.
What should the Lakers prioritize on the trade market? https://t.co/1H8ZvQy36P via @LakersSBN
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 30, 2024
I agree that the Lakers have more needs than they can fill and will have to prioritize. To me, I think a 3-and-D wing would be at the bottom of that list because they have enough of them, if healthy, between Dalton Knecht, Jarred Vanderbilt (in theory) and Rui Hachimura.
Which leaves the other two. I would say a backup center is the bigger need. While Jaxson Hayes has been a positive relative to expectations this season, I do not trust him in a playoff series and he can not provide the things the Lakers lack, particularly on defense and as a rebounder.
Having someone like a Jonas Valančiūnas or Brook Lopez allows you to the luxury of deploying Anthony Davis in other ways defensively outside of standing in the paint as a rim protector.
LAKERS NEED TO TRADE FOR STARTING CENTER
Another Lakers loss that screams for Rob Pelinka to get off his lazy ass and trade for second big we need to pair with Anthony Davis. This loss goes on JJ and LeBron. Ignoring DLO and AD in 4th quarter led to loss.https://t.co/AU9hGEK0cI pic.twitter.com/uVAWwyrNdO— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 30, 2024
DLO had it going offensively.
He was moving his feet on Defense.
He OUT-REBOUNDED everyone on the team not named Anthony Davis-
Started the 2nd Half for AR-
Team High +4-
And didn’t Close.
If DLO can’t even get 26mins on a night like tonight- he never will. https://t.co/FWp1rakIqq
— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) November 30, 2024
At this point I think that we can all agree that the Lakers difference between a Title contention to a 6th-9th seed, is dependent on Anthony Davis playing in an MVP caliber level. pic.twitter.com/oOHzyqf0YF
— 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 🇮🇱🎗️ (@LakersGuy0) November 30, 2024
LeBron's last 4 games:
18 points
18 points
16 points
12 pointsHas Father Time finally arrived? pic.twitter.com/d2LcYKOKCU
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) November 30, 2024
Dalton Knecht as a starter 👀🪣
19.7 Points
5.2 Rebounds
1.0 Assists
1.0 Steals
55 FG%
48 3P% on 8.3 3PA 🤯
4-2 W/LROTY…? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/uhmwdLnBym
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) November 28, 2024
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs Los Angeles Lakers
36 PTS | 6 REB | 9 AST
SGA strikes again: 36 points, 15 in the 4th. Thunder top Lakers 101-93. 🏀⚡️ pic.twitter.com/53e4CZb3Ya
— A Walking Highlight (@11AWH) November 30, 2024
Lakers head coach JJ Redick is intrigued by a new starting lineup possibility once his team is at full strength.
Austin Reaves
Dalton Knecht
LeBron James
Jarred Vanderbilt
Anthony DavisThe staff believes that the group provides an enticing blend of size, shooting, and defense.
— The Amateur NBA Analyst (@droppingdimes98) November 28, 2024
Chicago Bulls Want To Trade Lonzo Ball And Start A Fresh Rebuild https://t.co/vOdeWHUMZW
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 29, 2024
As 2024 comes to a close, the Chicago Bulls have ambitions of starting the new year with a fresh clean slate. According to the latest report by league insider Jake Fischer, Lonzo Ball is officially on the trade block for the Bulls along with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic.
“No surprise, then, that Bulls executives, according to league sources, have been messaging to rival front offices that they are willing to discuss the majority of their roster in trade talks leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline,” wrote Fischer. “Most notably, sources say, Chicago has expressed a desire to move LaVine, Vucevic, and Ball — who collectively command nearly $85 million in salary this season.”
The Bulls had a brief moment of prosperity in the East when they held the best record in the Conference for a brief period in the 2021-22 NBA season. It was injuries that ripped the Bulls apart and they’ve been trying to pick up the pieces ever since.
But now, after years of misery and disappointment, the Bulls are ready to move on from this group and start building toward a better future. Currently, they still have their veteran core in place but they’ve already begun to make some moves.
The rebuild began this summer with the departure of DeMar DeRozan. He left the Bulls to sign a new deal with the Kings, freeing up the books in Chicago and giving them more flexibility moving forward. It will also give some of the Bulls’ current young prospects the chance to step in and take his place.
Lonzo Ball, 27, is only just returning to the court this season after an extended hiatus from the game to recover from a nagging knee injury. The two-way point guard is only averaging 5.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game on 41.2% shooting but after years of battling to return to the court, it’s a miracle that he’s even playing at all.
Lonzo was once considered one of the top defensive guards in the game and while he has the potential to reach those heights again, it will take time — time that the Bulls don’t have right now with the team on the verge of breaking apart.
By trading Lonzo and their other prized veterans, the Bulls can start a full rebuild and finally move on from this disastrous Zach LaVine era. Of course, it remains to be seen if the Bulls are ready for such a drastic move but if their trajectory gets any worse things will surely get interesting in the Windy City.
As for Lonzo, multiple teams would be on his pursuit if he became available, maybe even potentially the team that sent him away all those years ago. At this point, a fresh start might not be a bad idea for Ball given his journey and all of the steps he’s taken along the way.
A new team might allow him to change his mentality and put him back in a position to compete in the postseason. Either way, Lonzo’s name will be one to watch this season as the trade market heats up across the league.
3 Trail Blazers whose stocks are skyrocketing, 2 that are fading fast https://t.co/zwEYcCRbeq
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 29, 2024
Robert Williams III’s stock is skyrocketing
Time Lord is back! Well, he’s currently in concussion protocol, but he’s looked great for the Blazers when he’s been on the court so far this season. Robert Williams III looks like the Celtics version of himself, who was an All-Defensive Second Team member in 2022. RW3 is undersized at 6-foot-9, but that makes him an ideal modern-day big man capable of switching out onto smaller guards on the perimeter.
Williams and Donovan Clingan have a dynamic defensive anchor duo going. It will be hard for Cronin to decide what to do with Williams and whether to trade him while his value is sky-high.
Friday night with the Lakers
🕠: 7:00 PM PT
📺: @SpectrumSN, ESPN
📱: Spectrum SportsNet+
📻: ESPN LA 710/1330 KWKWPresented by @PechangaCasino pic.twitter.com/bcLWqdbmU8
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 29, 2024
Dalton Knecht’s emergence as the generational 3-point shooter the Los Angeles Lakers have long-coveted now gives them a New Big Three and frees them to trade their picks to upgrade their starting lineup defense.
Redick’s decision to make Dalton Knecht the Lakers’ starting shooting guard was a clear sign the Lakers view the talented young rookie as part of their backcourt of the future and an emerging star around which to build. While moving Russell to the bench was a big success, Reddish was never able to provide enough defense to offset his liability on offense. Replacing him with Knecht fixed the mistake and turbo charged the starting lineup.
Though the Lakers knew Russell and Reaves could not be a championship backcourt defensively, they decided they had no option but gamble on a Reaves and Knecht backcourt, even though it’s not optimal defensively.
While an offense-first starting backcourt of Reaves and Knecht might survive regular season, they’ll be hard pressed defensively to win in the playoffs, which is why Dalton starting could change Lakers’ trade plans.
Sooner rather than later, the Lakers need trades to pair Dalton Knecht with a new defense-first point guard who can defend the perimeter and pair Anthony Davis with a new defense-first center who can protect the rim.
Their assets to make those trades include their two available first round picks, three available first round pick swaps, and three second round picks. Russell, Hachimura, Hood-Schifino, and Lewis are logical salary filler.
As L.A. continues trying to thread the needle between winning now and building for the future, committing to Knecht as a part of their new long-term core should empower the Lakers to focus on trading for defense.
With a New Big Three of Davis at the four, James at the three, and Knecht at the two, Lakers need to trade for a defensive center who can legitimately start and a defensive point guard who can’t be played off the court.
Here are three top trade targets for new Lakers’ defense oriented starting point guard and center to provide championship caliber defensive help for New Big Three of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Dalton Knecht.
1. Defensive Center Who Can Legitimately Start
The Los Angeles Lakers’ three top trade targets for a defensive center to start next to AD should be the Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, the Utah Jazz’ Walker Kessler, and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Brook Lopez.
While all three defensive center options would help elevate the Lakers to legitimate championship contenders, Williams has greatest potential and risk, Kessler best long-term upside, and Lopez best short-term outlook.
Of the three options, Robert Williams III has the greatest ceiling as he has elite ability both to protect the rim and defend in space. Pairing him with Anthony Davis would give the Lakers the best front court in the league.
Trading for Williams would surely cost the Lakers one of their two available first round picks plus maybe Vincent and Hood-Schifino as salary filler. While Williams doesn’t stretch the floor, he’s still a big force offensively.
The obvious pluses of trading for Walker Kessler are his age and salary, which means his cost in terms of matching salary and cap impact are minimal. The negative is the Jazz are asking two first round picks for him.
Trading Kessler to L.A. could also undermine what Utah receives for the Lakers’ 1–4 protected 2027 pick they own. The Lakers may need to remove the 2027 protection plus include 2028 swap and 2029 pick to land Kessler.
Should the Lakers not want to risk trading for Williams or pay the price to trade for Kessler, Brook Lopez could be the ideal short-term option for the Lakers to pair with Anthony Davis in a modern two-bigs starting lineup.
While giving up a first round pick for a short-term solution like 36-year old Lopez is not ideal, there may be no better big to play alongside AD than Brook, who’s the only defensive center candidate who stretches the floor.
The Lakers need to trade for a defensive center like the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, the Jazz’ Walker Kessler, or the Bucks’ Brook Lopez to pair with Anthony Davis in the best defensive front court in the league.
2. Defensive Guard Who Can’t Be Played Off Court
The Los Angeles Lakers’ three top trade targets for a defensive point guard to play with Dalton Knecht should be the Memphis Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart, the Chicago Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, and the Brooklyn Nets’ Dennis Schroder.
While the three defensive point guard options would help catapult the Lakers to legitimate contenders, Smart has the safest ceiling and floor, Ball the greatest upside and risk, and Schroder the best short-term bet.
Former Boston Celtic Marcus Smart should be the Lakers’ top defensive point guard target. While not an elite 3-point sniper or playmaker, Smart’s point-of-attack defense, constant motor, and gritty leadership are elite.
Pairing an All-Defensive quality 1-on-1 point-of-attack defender like Marcus Smart with a generational 3-point shooter and scorer like Dalton Knecht is exactly what the Lakers need to compete for a championship.
Should L.A. be unable to interest the Grizzlies in trading Marcus Smart, the Lakers should turn to the tanking Bulls and see whether they’re interested in trading injury-prone point guard Lonzo Ball and his expiring contract.
While L.A. would need to have their doctors examine Ball and review his medical records, Lonzo Ball could be exactly what the Lakers need as a defensive point guard and Bulls may be willing to give him up for seconds.
If L.A. cannot trade for Smart or Ball, they should pivot and target the Nets’ current and Lakers’ former point guard Dennis Schroder, who’s elevated his play at both end in the Olympics for Germany and in the NBA for the Nets.
While he’s not the bigger point-of-attack defensive point guard Smart and Ball are, Shroder does have elite speed, quickness, and ability to hound opposing ball handlers full court and is also shooting over 40% from deep.
The Lakers need to trade for a defensive point guard like the Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart, the Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, or the Nets’ Dennis Schroder to pair with Dalton Knecht in one of the best two-way backcourts in the NBA.
JJ Redick Addresses Lineup Decision on Lakers Rookie https://t.co/YlXzJ4bHpK
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) November 28, 2024
After the game, Redick addressed the decision to re-insert Knecht into the starting five, per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation.
“I think sometimes you just gotta look at numbers,” Redick said. “We felt like the DK stuff was great and tonight was trying to figure out a way to get a win. Knowing that we were gonna be ‘redding’ 1-5 as the game plan, it just felt like a game that we could get him in there.”
Redick also mentioned that they are constantly reviewing the analytics, but that you need time to see how those numbers play out.
