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The LA Lakers are open to trading veteran point guard Patrick Beverley and shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV. However, they would like to retain young prospects Max Christie and Austin Reaves.
In other news, multiple teams are interested in acquiring Lakers star forward Anthony Davis.
On that note, here are the latest rumors surrounding the LA Lakers as of Feb. 7, 2023.
LA Lakers willing to trade Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV; want to keep Max Christie and Austin Reaves
Following the news that All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported on the LA Lakers’ pursuit of Irving.
Buha noted that LA was not willing to trade Max Christie or Austin Reaves for Irving. The Lakers view both players as key building blocks and there was additionally no guarantee that Irving would have re-signed long-term.
“The Lakers were not willing to include Austin Reaves and/or rookie Max Christie in the deal if Irving was not going to agree to the two-year contract extension, according to league sources,” Buha reported.
“The Lakers view both players as key members of their young supporting cast, not merely throw-ins. They were only considering including one of them if they had assurances Irving wouldn’t just be a second-half rental.”
However, Buha previously reported that the Lakers were willing to give up Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets:
“Beverley and Walker IV could also be included in an Irving package or a separate deal to further upgrade the rotation, league sources tell The Athletic.”
An Irving to LA deal obviously didn’t end up happening. However, it looks like the brief saga provided some more insight into which Lakers players are more likely to be moved before the deadline.
Anthony Davis receiving trade interest from multiple teams
Anthony Davis has been dominant when he has played this season. However, he has once again struggled to stay on the court, appearing in just 30 of the Lakers’ 54 games.
With LA holding just a 25-29 record and sitting 13th in the Western Conference, multiple rival teams have reportedly begun inquiring about a Davis trade. However, according to NBA insider Sam Amico, the Lakers have shown no interest in moving Davis.
"The Lakers are quickly shooting down any such talk,” Amico reported.
Davis is averaging 27.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocks per game on 57.5% shooting through 30 games.
LA Lakers looking at potential trades with five different teams
After failing to land Kyrie Irving in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, the LA Lakers have reportedly turned their attention to five other teams.
According to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha, LA is looking at potential deals with the Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls. Buha noted that the Jazz and Raptors are the most likely trade suitors for LA. However, the Hornets, Spurs and Bulls are still three teams to watch.
“The Lakers will remain active on the trade market, exploring deals both small and large. In the wake of the Irving-to-Dallas news, the two teams that have repeatedly popped up as Plan B options for the Lakers are the Utah Jazz and Toronto Raptors, according to league sources,” Buha reported.
“Both teams have been linked to the Lakers in recent weeks and have starter-level players who have been rumored to be available. However, talks remain preliminary and nothing is imminent.
“The Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls are three other teams to watch, according to those sources.”
He then explained that the Lakers will have to decide whether to give up their 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in any potential deal:
“The obvious issue is that it’s unclear if there’s another deal available that the Lakers believe will merit the inclusion of those two unprotected first-round picks.
“Less than two weeks ago, vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said the Lakers would only include those draft picks in a ‘move that puts us as a frontrunner to get another championship here.’
“Do potential additions like Zach LaVine, Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr. or Malik Beasley move the needle enough to reach that threshold? The Lakers already decided that Indiana’s Myles Turner and Buddy Hield don’t – at least as of last October.”
It remains to be seen if the Lakers will gain any traction on a deal between now and the deadline. However, it appears they’re doing their due diligence with regards to thoroughly canvassing the trade market before making any big moves.
Guess the Lakers players!
