Is Gary Trent Jr. headed to Lakers? 3 best-suited teams for Raptors sharpshooter as deadline pressure intensifies

Multiple reports indicate that the LA Lakers are exploring the possibility of acquiring Toronto Raptors swingman Gary Trent Jr. As the Raptors undergo a rebuild, having traded OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, Trent Jr. might be one of the veterans on the move.

Sources suggest that almost anyone on the Raptors roster, excluding Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett or Jakob Poeltl, could be available for trade.

The Lakers, in 10th place in the Western Conference, are expected to be active in the trade market, especially given their struggles following their NBA In-Season Tournament triumph in Las Vegas.

This season, Trent Jr. - who's set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season - has averaged 11.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.1 blocks. His shooting percentages are 42.1% from the field, 41.2% from beyond the arc and 65.1% from the free-throw line.

During his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and Raptors, Gary Trent Jr. has averaged 14.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals. With an impressive career of 38.7% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc, Trent Jr. is likely to attract interest from various playoff-contending teams.

Taking that into account, let's explore three other NBA teams that could serve as an ideal destination for him:

LA Lakers and two other landing spots for Gary Trent Jr.

#1 LA Lakers

The LA Lakers are struggling to maintain a winning record this season despite winning the NBA In-Season Tournament. That's due to a lot of reasons, including a lack of consistent shooters and poor decisions by coach Darvin Ham.

Hence, bringing Gary Trent Jr. to the roster could help boost the team's lackluster shooting prowess and climbing up the Western Conference standings.

#2 Denver Nuggets

Defending champions Denver Nuggets might need a bit more firepower, considering how other teams this year have improved significantly compared to last year.

The Nuggets are third in the West and have a 29-14 record. They seem to be fine for now, but it doesn't mean adding another piece to their puzzle would hurt them in their quest to go back-to-back.

Denver is considered to be a well-balanced team having an all-around big man in Nikola Jokic to take charge. They also have a well-constructed roster to play all other positions. If Gary Trent Jr. were to join, the Nuggets could become deadlier than they already are.

#3 Philadelphia 76ers

For a while, the Philadelphia 76ers have always been seen as contenders to win the title since the Joel Embiid era.

However, time and time again they have failed to deliver. This season, the vibes are a bit different since Embiid has found a new duo in Tyrese Maxey. Their partnership has given Philly hope for a potential championship win this year.

Hence, adding extra hands from a solid shooter like Gary Trent Jr. could be the perfect combo. Trent Jr.'s shooting could be the missing piece to the Sixers' possible championship run.