The Los Angeles Lakers need to jump-start their season and fast, and according to reports, they’re looking to make some trades ahead of the deadline.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on NBA Today that the Lakers could be aiming to move players to free up space on the roster ahead of the trade deadline. Windhorst mentions that DeAndre Jordan and Kent Bazemore could be the ones packing their backs soon.
“With LeBron [James] starting at center and eventually getting Anthony Davis back, they [Lakers] are looking to move DeAndre Jordan. Not necessarily for another player, but to move him so they can open up a roster spot. Kent Bazemore is another player that they’ve been willing to talk about, in talking with some other teams,” Windhorst said. “Their goal is: open up a roster spot.”
Windhorst notes that the Lakers had already made moves this season when they traded Rajon Rondo to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this week for the draft rights to Frenchman Louis Labeyrie. The latter plays for Valencia Basket of the Liga ACB, the top basketball league in Spain. He was taken in the 57th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft but is unlikely to ever play in the NBA.
It’s not difficult to see why the Lakers are exploring the possibility of moving Bazemore and Jordan, as the duo has struggled to see the floor so far this season.
This year, Jordan has played in 27 games with 18 starts but has averaged a career-low 13.2 minutes per game. In the limited minutes he’s getting, Jordan contributes 4.5 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Bazemore has seen slightly less action than Jordan this year, playing in 22 games while averaging 18.1 minutes per game, and is only putting up 4.3 points per game on below-average shooting numbers of 33.7 percent from the field and 34 percent from three-point range.
The Lakers desperately need additional help, as the season so far has not gone the way they would have liked. Los Angeles is currently sixth in the Western Conference with a record of 20-19, 10.5 games back of the first-place Phoenix Suns (30-8).
The NBA trade deadline is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 10.
