NBA Rumors: Three Potential Trade Targets For LA Lakers Using No. 28 Pick
The Los Angeles Lakers will have the opportunity to add another young and promising talent to their roster using the No. 28 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. However, with their goal to defend their throne next season, most people believe that the Lakers are better off using their 2020 first-round selection as the trade chip to acquire a quality veteran role player this fall. In a recent article, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report named three potential trade targets for the Purple and Gold in the 2020 offseason.
These include Derrick Rose of the Detroit Pistons, JJ Redick of the New Orleans Pelicans, and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. Of all those players, Rose is the one who is being frequently linked to the Lakers. Ever since the 2020 February NBA trade deadline, there have been rumors about the Lakers’ desire to add the former MVP to their roster.
Though they successfully captured the Larry O’Brien Trophy last season, trading for Rose would still make a lot of sense for the Lakers. As Hughes noted, acquiring him from the Pistons would immediately address their need for another shot creator and playmaker that would lessen the burden on LeBron James’ shoulders.
“A base trade of veteran point guard Derrick Rose to the Lakers for the No. 28 pick would make sense for both sides, giving the Lakers a playmaker and scorer off the bench with 46 games of playoff experience. Getting Rose would mean being able to rest James a bit more, with his ability to drop 20 off the bench on any given night likely exceeding what rookies such as Winston or Pritchard could provide in year one.”
Redick would be also an intriguing acquisition for the Lakers. Though he’s no longer in his prime, he remains one of the best three-point shooters in the league. Last season, he averaged 15.3 points on 45.3 percent shooting from the field and 45.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc, per ESPN. Sharing the court with a veteran sharpshooter like Redick would be beneficial for James and Anthony Davis as it would make it easier for them to penetrate the basket or kick the ball out when trapped by the opposing team’s defense.
Meanwhile, Swartz labeled Turner a “dream target” for the Purple and Gold this offseason. Turner would give them a massive upgrade at the center position. Aside from the fact that he’s younger than JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard, he’s also a quality rim protector and capable of efficiently knocking down shots from the three-point range.
However, the No. 28 pick, alone, may not be enough to convince the Pacers to send him to Los Angeles. To acquire Turner, Swartz suggested that the Lakers would need to offer a package that included Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, and the No. 28 overall selection to Indiana.
