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The LA Lakers and Denver Nuggets met for the fourth and final time on Monday, January 9th. The Nuggets came out on top, winning by a score of 122-109 to split the season series. With the two teams no longer scheduled to play in the regular season, they could look at one another as potential trade partners.
Would the LA Lakers be willing to move a key starter?
Lonnie Walker IV has averaged more minutes per game than every LA Lakers player aside from stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Walker IV, who was signed to a one-year, $6.5 million contract this past offseason, is exceeding expectations.
The fifth-year guard has started each of the 32 games he has played in while averaging a career-high 14.7 points per game. He is shooting 45.5% from the field, 38.4% from 3-point range, and 87.5% from the free-throw line. While losing Walker IV would hurt, the Lakers could be open to moving him if it brings back defensive help.
Bruce Brown has been solid in his role as a sixth man and spot starter in his first season with the Denver Nuggets. Like Walker IV, Brown signed a one-year, $6.5 contract this past offseason, however, he holds a $6.8 million player option for next season.
Brown, who is also in his fifth season, has averaged a career-high 11.2 points per game while shooting 49.9% from the field, 40.9% from 3-point range, and 80.4% from the free-throw line. While Brown is a much better defender than Walker IV, the Lakers guard offers more offensive upside as a sixth man. If the Lakers add a second-round pick or two, Denver could be enticed to strike a deal.
Could the LA Lakers acquire a member of their 2019-2020 championship roster?
If the LA Lakers are indeed open to trading Lonnie Walker IV, it would be wise to attempt to package him with Patrick Beverley to acquire former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Nuggets would likely be unwilling to trade Caldwell-Pope, however, if they were willing to do so, they could do a lot worse than acquiring Walker IV, who is six years younger than Caldwell-Pope and better suits the Nuggets timeline.
While the Beverley acquisition has not worked out for the Lakers, the Nuggets could be willing to take a flier on him bouncing back in a smaller market, particularly on the defensive end. The Lakers would likely have to include draft compensation, possibly even a first-round pick that they have been reluctant to part ways with, however, the front office could change their tune for a player that they know can thrive alongside their stars.
Does acquiring a former teammate of LeBron James make sense?
Jeff Green has seen his role decrease in the 2022-2023 season. The Denver Nuggets forward is averaging less than 20.0 minutes per game for the first time in his sixteen-year career. While Green doesn't have a role in Denver, he likely would with the LA Lakers. The Lakers lack athletic wings that can provide floor spacing and defensive upside.
Denver has gone 7-2 with Green out of the lineup over the past nine games. A package centered around Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and future draft compensation would provide the Nuggets with youth as well as the opportunity to add more depth in the draft. While the package doesn't sound enticing, if Denver decides to move the seldomly used veteran, there likely won't be many suitors that offer much more.
