![\"Ex-Lakers](\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/w_3840,q_auto:good,c_fill,ar_4:3,g_xy_center,x_1229,y_605\/MjY6MDAwMDAwMDAwNjM4MjA0\/nba-denver-nuggets-at-los-angeles-lakers-638204.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Lakers\u00a0came out of the very eventful 2024-25\u00a0NBA\u00a0season with a bit of a mixed bag, as the team reset its future with the trade for\u00a0Luka Doncic\u00a0and, at the same time, was left bitterly disappointed with the five-game elimination at the hands of the Timberwolves in the Western Conference playoffs\u2019 opening round.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve tried to retool the roster with low-risk gambles on point guard Marcus Smart, center Deandre Ayton and wing Jake LaRavia, but fans who hoped for a star-caliber swing on the trade market have been disappointed.<\/p>\n
Ah, but there is time. And the estimable\u00a0Jacob Rude of the SB Nation site, \u201cSilver Screen and Roll,\u201d sees some potential deals that could yet bolster the Lakers. One is particularly interesting: Bringing back top 3-and-D wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is now with his fourth team (Memphis) since the Lakers traded him in the disastrous\u00a0Russell Westbrook\u00a0deal four years ago.<\/p>\n
Rude proposes trading away Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber to bring back KCP to the Lakers, a sentimental move, given that he never should have been forced to leave in the first place. Caldwell-Pope was a big factor in the Lakers winning the 2020\u00a0NBA\u00a0\u201cBubble\u201d championship during the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
He writes: \u201cLakers fans have seen how well KCP plays next to stars firsthand. Even if his game has dropped off, he\u2019s still a 3&D wing and you can never have too many of those. It\u2019s a far more useful way for the Lakers to spend their money than on Vincent and Kleber.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith KCP having a player option for next season, the Lakers could save the Grizzlies some long-term money by sending them two expiring contracts. Gabe Vincent is a lot more expendable with the arrival of Marcus Smart while Maxi Kleber is the third center on the roster.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, the feeling around the Lakers is that the team is pretty much set as it is, and that no major trades are forthcoming until the season gets rolling. The Lakers have had opportunities to include the likes of Gabe Vincent and Jarred\u00a0Vanderbilt\u00a0in trade packages already, but have declined to do so.<\/p>\n
\u2018They have not been attacking the trade market by any stretch of the imagination,\u201d one Western Conference executive said. \u201cMost teams now are in a sort-of wait-and-see mode, and I would include the Lakers in that. They want to give it some time before they make a trade.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Vincent averaged only 6.4 points per game last season, but the Lakers like him as a reliable veteran off the bench, with just one year at $11.5 million remaining on his contract. With the addition of Marcus Smart, though, Vincent could be more expendable as the year goes on.<\/p>\n Vanderbilt has shown flashes, but he has not been able to stay on the floor\u2013he has played only 91 games in two-plus seasons with the Lakers.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Lakers\u00a0came out of the very eventful 2024-25\u00a0NBA\u00a0season with a bit of a mixed bag, as the team reset its future with the trade for\u00a0Luka Doncic\u00a0and, at the… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"