NBA Rumors: Lakers Inquired About Pistons Guard Reggie Bullock, Per ‘Los Angeles Times’
Amid all the rumors swirling around the Los Angeles Lakers and their pursuit of New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Anthony Davis, the team appears to be quietly working on other ways to improve their roster ahead of the February 7 trade deadline. Previous reports suggested that the Lakers are hoping to acquire a skilled outside shooter before the deadline, and the latest rumors suggest that one of those players could be Detroit Pistons shooting guard Reggie Bullock.
Citing tweets from Los Angeles Times basketball reporters Tania Ganguli and Brad Turner, Silver Screen and Roll reported on Saturday that the Lakers are among the teams interested in trading for the 27-year-old Bullock, who is currently on the last year of a contract that will pay him $2.5 million this season. While Turner noted in his tweet that the Lakers are pursuing Bullock because of his ability to shoot from long range, Ganguli stressed that the Pistons “[haven’t] been very interested” in trading him for what other teams, the Lakers included, have offered thus far.
While he may likely be a role player in a LeBron James-led Lakers team with several promising youngsters, Silver Screen and Roll opined that Reggie Bullock could address a weakness for the team, as the Lakers’ 33.7 percent shooting clip from three-point range puts them at 27th out of 30 teams in the NBA. Per Basketball Reference, Bullock is averaging 11.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists for the Pistons, while shooting 40.3 percent from the field, and 37.1 percent from three-point territory.
The Lakers have reportedly reached out to the Pistons about possibly trading for Reggie Bullock. https://t.co/IPsYfVXPmf pic.twitter.com/Oa8wFWnpYk
— Silver Screen and Roll (@LakersSBN) February 2, 2019
As further explained by Silver Screen and Roll, the fact that the Detroit Pistons had trade exceptions that expired on January 29 could potentially force the Lakers to take another player, aside from Bullock, if they were to trade for him.
“For example, a straight-up trade involving Michael Beasley and Reggie Bullock wouldn’t work, but a trade including Beasley and Lance Stephenson for Bullock and Stanley Johnson would (under the rules, to say nothing of whether or not the Pistons would accept such an offer),” the publication wrote.
Given that the Pistons don’t appear to be willing to ship Bullock to another team at the moment, the Los Angeles Lakers might have a few other options in their search for an outside shooter. Previous rumors had suggested that the team is targeting shooting guards Wayne Ellington of the Miami Heat, and Terrence Ross from the Orlando Magic, while the New York Post reported earlier this week that the Lakers are still interested in 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who was recently cut by the Chicago Bulls.
Regardless of which outside shooter the Lakers trade for, Silver Screen and Roll concluded by saying that such pre-trade deadline moves might be what Los Angeles will need to settle for in their quest for a playoff spot if they aren’t able to trade for Anthony Davis.
