TITLE: Lakers weigh trade-deadline moves, will surrender cap space only for true impact wing
SLUG: lakers-cap-flexibility-trade-deadline-needle-mover
CONTENT:
The Los Angeles Lakers are surveying the market for a two-way wing but remain reluctant to jeopardize their offseason salary-cap flexibility unless a clear difference-maker becomes available, league sources told journalist Marc Stein.
At 22-11, Los Angeles holds one of the Western Conference’s top records yet has struggled defensively against elite opponents. General manager Rob Pelinka is therefore prioritizing a 3-and-D forward ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
Two factors are slowing negotiations, according to Stein. First, the supply of wings who both defend and shoot is thin; the New Orleans Pelicans, for instance, continue to resist interest in Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III. Second, the Lakers prefer to keep the projected cap space they could unlock this summer through expiring contracts, a figure large enough to pursue major roster upgrades. That stance would change only for what one source called a “needle-mover.”
Los Angeles could open maximum cap space in July, but acquiring a player on a long-term deal before the deadline would reduce that flexibility. Names linked to the Lakers include Jones and Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, both under multi-year contracts. Whether either becomes available in the next four weeks remains uncertain.
Rookie Adou Thiero sidelined
First-year wing Adou Thiero, viewed internally as a potential perimeter defender, will miss at least four weeks after spraining his right MCL. The 22-year-old will be re-evaluated around the trade deadline.
Los Angeles has roughly a month to decide whether an available wing justifies sacrificing its summer cap outlook.
Source: LakersNation.com
