Windy Watch: Can the Lakers make a trade to improve their roster? | NBA Countdown

Windy Watch: Can the Lakers make a trade to improve their roster? | NBA Countdown

We’re just under a month away from the February 8th trade deadline but things could start heating up starting on January 15th that is when 96% of players will be eligible to be traded and now with an NBA forecast look who’s here let’s ABS not talk about the weather in

The Midwest and the East Coast let’s focus out here Malika we’re going to start in Golden State we have drought-like conditions very very few splashes D Draymond Green’s been out that means Steph Curry has AB not been at his best look at how his numbers have come down since Draymond Green

Suspension look these are still good numbers but these are MVP level numbers they need to get back to that yes they’re going to be active in the trade market but the best acquisition they can make is getting Draymond Green back let’s come down the coast to La oh

Malika there’s a high pressure system parked over Southern California because the LA Lakers are under 500 they have played 39 games LeBron and AD have missed a total of five that is bad news starting on Monday their whole roster is available for trade including Austin Reeves and ruy hachimura and I expect

The Lakers to get involved in trade talks looking to upgrade their roster especially if they can add a ball handler because since dangel Russell’s got out of the starting lineup LeBron’s become the starting point guard and his production has gone down but it’s not all bad news let’s go over to the desert

Where we had some lovely clouds blocking out the Sun but guess what it’s cleared it’s Sunny the Suns had their best performance of the season last night against the Lakers Bradley Beal 37 points hits eight three-pointers they are on the right track I know that their record isn’t great but they’re healthy

They’re playing better they have good energy with their team I don’t think the Suns have even begun to play their best basketball yet and now almost halfway in the season I think you’re going to start to see it and now to Kendrick Perkins with sports I I’m mostly I’m mostly joking

But but I I am curious Wendy if we could invite you in your weather forecast back here to the desk that was excellent by the way I appreciate that we’re going to have to get you yeah we’re going to have to get you a green screen next time W

How can the Lakers change the forecast that Wendy so perfectly laid out there well and you go through those three teams Phoenix LA s and Golden State I think especially the Lakers and Phoenix they are limited in the assets that they have to put in trades and every time you

Do a deal you are sort of betting against your future and you’re taking more and more from down the road this is a Laker team that obviously because you have LeBron James at 39 because Anthony Davis is still playing uh both of them are at such a high level they need to

Improve that Supporting Cast they need more quickness athleticism I think for the Lakers their Moment of Truth at this trade dad line is going to be their willingness to put Austin Reeves in a deal they’re not going to want to trade them they don’t want to trade them but

Outside of that 2029 first round pick they have he’s the only other Real Player on the roster that I think gets you back a significant upgrade that’s what it’s going to come down to for this Laker team they’ve touched Bas on dejonte Murray in Atlanta as have a lot

Of teams uh and I think those conversations you know they they may develop over time uh but this is a Laker team that is limited in scope and and how dramatic of an impact they could really make yeah they are limited and they they do need another play making a

Ball handler they have to get faster at the perimeter we still haven’t seen gay Vincent right we only seen the appetizer of him but they also got to increase their depth at the big position Jack Jackson Hayes has been a complete failure this season right I thought he

Was going to come in get up under this LeBron James like system and wing and started to really develop and grow as a player but I’m looking at it maybe you search the buy market like a bism bomo right and come in and cuz he played some good quality minutes for Memphis this

Season right take a load off of AD and spot minutes but again whatever the Lakers do is not going to get them over the hump to compete for a title right it’s just going to make a strong playoff push and then all of a sudden we going

To be asking the same question again is it is LeBron retiring your phone is going to light up with a 330 area code after saying that with LeBron James on the I got them blocked I got them blocked well yeah I got him blocked I wouldn’t rule anything out with LeBron

But obviously they have to get better one thing that’s important when D’Angelo Russell signed this off season he had the option to structure his contract in a way where he could have veto power on trades the Lakers negotiated in a way they gave him a little bit extra money

He took that veto power away so he doesn’t have to approve a trade they can move him so I think that’s a player he may not be the most desirable Laker but he’s a guy that I think could be used in trade especially if they include Austin

Reeves that first round draft pick with them yeah you know people have brought up Zack LaVine and it’s just not a trade for the Lakers if you’re going to take on that much salary with a third star with the new economic system in the NBA

You’re going to want to do it with a two-way player a and I think Zack lavine’s certainly he is an outstanding offensive player I don’t know that Zack LaVine is going to get moved before the trade deadline uh I think a lot of the Lakers moves it’s going to look a little

Bit like last year’s trade deadline where you’re going to try to thread the Neel there there’s not a savior coming in for this Lakers season I don’t know if that player will be available at all at this trade deadline I just think when when when you the thread of the needle

From last year I think Lakers fans years probably perk up because then they went on this magical run afterward that they were able to make it all the way to the Western Conference finals and it’s hard to decipher whether or not that that was Fool’s Gold uh I don’t believe it was I

Just think they capitalized on the moment but but here’s the thing right it’s it’s it’s so crazy how much like no one values Zack LaVine no more this is a guy couple years ago that averaged 27 contract per contract it’s not Zach the player it’s it’s Zach’s contract I

Understand but do do we realize in like two years guys Areo be making about $75 million yeah but what about between now and then what about those two years between now and then I mean there’s there’s a salary cap and the salary Cap’s changed and it’s making teams make

Harder decisions that’s why the Clippers are not did not give a Max extension to Kawhi Leonard and and wild they’re going to try to get Paul George at an even lower number it is a different day for 30-some NBA stars the automatic Max that used to be there isn’t there anymore

Yeah but we are talking about the Lakers one of the most winning fr in NBA and they have to play by the same rules as everybody [Applause] [Applause] else

On NBA Countdown, Brian Windhorst provides his forecast for the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns heading into the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Malika Andrews, Adrian Wojnarowski and Kendrick Perkins dive into what the Lakers need to do.

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