NBA Power Rankings: All 30 Teams’ Needs at Trade Deadline
29. Los Angeles Lakers
Previous: No. 29
Record: 13-40
Last Week: No. 1
Biggest Need: First-Round Draft Pick
The Los Angeles Lakers will play the rest of 2014-15 without star shooting guard Kobe Bryant and rookie power forward Julius Randle. Thus, personnel development and players in interim positions will balance out.
If it’s possible, and it likely isn’t, the Lakers should be trading for a first-round draft pick.
Los Angeles has a first-rounder in the 2015 NBA Draft, but it’s only Top 5 protected. Thus, the legitimate possibility exists of the Lakers dropping out of the Top 5 and the Phoenix Suns receiving the selection.
Speaking of the Suns, embattled star Goran Dragic has the Lakers on his shortlist of preferred destinations, per Marc Stein of ESPN, after informing Phoenix that he will not re-sign with the organization.
Dragic, I'm told, prefers Lakers and other situations to Houston, which means Rockets would be risking lots to surrender assets for him now
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 18, 2015
It’s a strange time to request a trade to the Lakers, but that doesn’t make this potential deal any less intriguing.
Dragic, the reigning Most Improved Player, is a good shooter, facilitator and transition finisher. He was Third Team All-NBA in 2013-14 and continues to perform at a high level in 2014-15.
If not Dragic, then the only deadline deal Los Angeles should get done would be to acquire a more secure selection in the NBA Draft.
Next: Better Future Than It Seems