The Los Angeles Lakers would be one of the most active teams on the trade market in the 2022 NBA offseason. After failing to qualify for the playoffs in the 2021-22 NBA season, the Lakers are expected to be more aggressive in improving their roster around their veteran superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The season is still far from over, but the Lakers are already being linked to several quality players who could become available on the trading block this summer.
Resuming Pursuit Of Buddy Hield
One of the most realistic trade targets for the Lakers this summer is veteran shooting guard Buddy Hield of the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers have been rumored to be interested in adding Hield to their roster since the 2021 NBA offseason. Before they acquired Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards last summer, the Lakers were heavily engaged in a trade discussion with the Sacramento Kings involving Hield.
Had they made a different decision about trading for Westbrook, Hield would have been an official member of the Lakers' roster in the 2021-22 NBA season.
Proposed Three-Team Trade
As of now, it's crystal clear that the Lakers made a huge mistake when they chose Westbrook over Hield. Luckily for them, Hield is expected to be available on the trading block once again this summer. In a recent article, James Piercey of NBA Analysis Network suggested a three-team blockbuster trade that would send Hield to Los Angeles.
In the proposed three-team deal, the Lakers would get Hield, the Pacers would receive Luguentz Dort, Derrick Favors, Kendrick Nunn, and Stanley Johnson, and the Oklahoma City Thunder would obtain Talen Horton-Tucker, a 2023 second-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.
Buddy Hield Improves Lakers' Floor Spacing
Hield would be a great addition to the Lakers. He may not be an All-Star, but his potential arrival in Los Angeles would bring the much-needed improvement in terms of floor spacing and boost the Lakers' performance on the offensive end of the floor. Aside from being an elite three-point shooter, he is also a very reliable scorer and a decent playmaker.
This season, Hield averaged 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from beyond the arc. With his ability to excel in an off-ball capacity, he won't have a hard time making himself fit with ball-dominant superstars like James and Davis in Los Angeles.
Why The Pacers & The Thunder Would Make The Trade
If the proposed three-way deal becomes a reality, it won't only benefit the Lakers, but also the Pacers and the Thunder. For the Pacers, the suggested trade would allow them to unload Hield and the $ 39 million that he's owed over the next two years while acquiring a talented three-and-D wingman who perfectly fits the timeline of Tyrese Haliburton in Dort.
As compensation for helping the Lakers and the Pacers facilitate the trade, the Thunder would get another young and promising player that they could develop in Horton-Tucker and add two future draft assets to their collection.
]]>The Inquisitr
