The Los Angeles Lakers are eyeing help at the point guard position as both Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell showed signs of struggle during Summer League play. The Lakers are going with youth at the position which may not exactly work out and after unimpressive starts in the Las Vegas tournament the team began to eye a trade deal for Ty Lawson. With the Houston Rockets winning that sweepstakes, could the Lakers target another trade deal?
According to Chris Mannix of SI.com, the Lakers were interested in acquiring Lawson from the Denver Nuggets in hopes of beefing up their point guard rotation. Lawson, while suffering from off-the-court issues, is a viable starter for any team and would have been an asset to the Lakers. However, Mac Stein of ESPN confirmed that the Rockets and Nuggets agreed to a trade on Sunday, leaving the Lakers empty handed. Could another player end up being the target?
Prior to the NBA Draft, the Lakers were getting connected with Eric Bledsoe who had falled somewhat out of favor with the Phoenix Suns. The franchise re-signed Brandon Knight to a long-term contract, leaving many to believe Bledsoe is still available for the right price. The issue is that the point guard would likely be more expensive than the Lakers can afford. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are willing to give up Nick Young in a deal, but that might not land them someone like Bledsoe.
Brandon Jennings could easily be an option despite coming off an Achilles tear. According to the Detroit Free Press, Reggie Jackson is expected to be the starter for 2015, but Jennings will be healthy come training camp which will open the door for trades. Jennings will also not come cheap, but the Pistons have some holes to fill which could make Young enticing for them.
The cheapest player the Lakers could likely get is Jose Calderon from the New York Knicks. According to the New York Post, Phil Jackson is not Calderon's biggest fan and would ideally like to get rid of his contract. Jackson told the media that he was disappointed a trade for Calderon never came about, but the Lakers could easily be last-minute contenders for the veteran. Having an established player like Calderon could be what Clarkson and Russell need on the court as they continue to develop their careers.
According to the Orange County Register, both Clarkson and Russell are expected to workout with Steve Nash during the offseason as the Lakers hope that assists with development moving forward. Nash retired last season, but will likely remain involved in the league in ways like this. If the workouts do not go well, trades could be in the Lakers' future.