The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2023-24 NBA season with lofty aspirations.
Coming off a magical run to the Western Conference Finals one year prior, the hope was that LeBron James and Co. would be able to building on that existing momentum.
Unfortunately, after 20 games, the Lakers don’t look like the title contender many hoped they would be. The team boasts an 11-9 mark and currently sits seventh in the Western Conference.
Barring a turnaround of some sort, L.A. will likely need to make some changes ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. What would those changes ultimately entail? Well, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers have their sights set on two players.
Here are @jovanbuha’s thoughts on the potential for a Bulls/Lakers deal before the deadline, and who the Lakers would most likely target.
ICYMI, our full Lakers breakdown is in the quoted tweet! https://t.co/czgFdxejdH pic.twitter.com/UQVHV6LtNG
— Jason Timpf (@_JasonLT) November 29, 2023
“I’ve actually heard that they’re more interested in DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso [than Zach LaVine],” Buha said.
“A.C., he’s the one that got away. … Both of those guys are on more manageable contracts. … DeMar comes in, he’s that over-the-top shotmaker that the team seemingly doesn’t really have outside of when LeBron’s jumper is falling.
“And then Alex Caruso, one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the league, one of the best perimeter in the league period. … There’s real interest in all three guys, but from what I’ve heard, DeMar and Alex are higher on their priority list.”
The Lakers are also one of four teams that LaVine has expressed interest in joining, and one of two frontrunners for Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen.
Ja Morant’s Sister Niya’s Wild Photos Cause A Stir: https://t.co/x5NM0Fe5J8
— Game 7 (@game7__) December 1, 2023
Time will tell who L.A. ultimately ends up with.
Either way, though – it is increasingly looking like changes will need to be made.
What will the roster makeup of the Lakers look like by the time the NBA Trade Deadline comes and goes? An answer one way or the other will emerge over the next two months.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
