The Los Angeles Lakers shouldn’t be afraid to adjust their roster after failing to live up to expectations in the playoffs.
In a blockbuster three-team trade crafted by Sports Illustrated’s Liam Willerup, Los Angeles would send a 6-foot-8 forward to the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets.For the Lakers, they part ways with two key rotation pieces for next year’s team in (Dalton) Knecht and (Rui) Hachimura, as well as their 2031 first-round pick, but land a big who has played in 70 or more games across the last three seasons,” Willerup wrote Sunday.
“While the price is steeper than what they sent for Mark Williams at the deadline, (Nic) Claxton’s contract and value make sense for Hachimura to be included.”
“As for the Nuggets, they free up cap space by turning Porter Jr. into two rotational pieces, opening up options for more depth in free agency.”
“Lastly, for the Nets, they land an efficient, sharpshooting wing in Porter Jr., who can likely be a 20-point-per-game scorer in Brooklyn. And for taking on that contract, they land the Lakers’ pick to sweeten the pot.”
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For clarity, Willerup’s three-team trade proposal would send Claxton to the Lakers, Knecht and Hachimura to the Nuggets, and Porter, along with a 2031 first-round pick, to the Nets.
Hachimura is the epitome of consistency in the NBA. The Gonzaga product doesn’t have the flashiest offensive skill set, but his rhythm pull-up jumper and stable three-point jumper make him a reliable fourth-scoring option for the Lakers.
Hachimura averaged 13.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game this season, shooting 50.9% from the field and 41.3% from downtown.
The 27-year-old’s production in the postseason was equally as impressive, as he contributed 14.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per contest, connecting on 49.1% of his field goals and 48.4% of his long-range triples.
However, the Lakers must sacrifice at least one of their valuable assets to secure the services of a versatile big man like Claxton.
If moving on from Hachimura will allow Los Angeles to fix their frontcourt issue, they’ll likely make it happen in free agency.
