The Los Angeles Lakers may consider exploring trade deals if the team could improve their chances for a playoff run this season.
The Lakers may not need to make any trades this season, but if the team would want to push for a postseason run, Los Angeles should follow pursuit of teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Christian Rivas of Lake Show Life, a fan site hosted by Sports Illustrated.
The Lakers are currently ninth in the West, but are well behind the Blazers, who currently holds the eighth spot. There should still be plenty of time for Los Angeles to win games, but may need to explore the trade market to find some help.
Rivas' listed realistic trade targets the Lakers could pursue before the February 2017 deadline. Among the names included in the list, Rivas indicated that a trade that would help the Lakers the most is by acquiring Shabazz Muhammad and Nikola Pekovic from the Minnesota Timberwolves for Luol Deng.
"The Lakers would get a young player on an expiring contract and some legitimate size off the bench. It's also one of the few trades that the Lakers could potentially pull of without give up Lou Williams," Rivas wrote.
Muhammad has been playing in limited minutes for the Timberwolves, but he has shown potential to become a premiere two-way player if given ample exposure. Muhammad, who is averaging 6.4 points per game this season, would give the Lakers an athletic wing, who could help add depth at the small forward position. At 24, Muhammad would be an ideal fit to grow alongside the Lakers' own core of young talents.
Pekovic, on the other hand, would give the Lakers a bruiser off the bench, although acquiring him would create a logjam at the frontcourt. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old center would give the Lakers a bog body to clog the lanes and could help the team in rebounding and inside scoring.
Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report reported that the Timberwolves could be interested in trading for Deng, with coach Tom Thibodeau looking for veterans to help the team win now. Deng's multi-year contract would make it difficult for the Lakers to orchestrate such deal, but acquiring Pekovic's contract could make things work.
It is unclear whether the Lakers would consider such move, but they have been known as major players in the trade market. And with the Lakers finally looking like a competitive team, it is possible Los Angeles explores a deal before the deadline.
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