Lakers Rumors: Trade Buzz Surrounding Talen Horton-Tucker, DeAndre Jordan & More
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to stumble through the 2021-22 season. L.A. fell 131-116 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night to drop its record to 26-29. Now sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference, the Lakers appear to be a play-in team at best.
The problem isn't a lack of talent, as L.A. has plenty of that. The issue is that offseason acquisition Russell Westbrook hasn't meshed with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the roster. Right now, the Lakers don't have the chemistry needed to be a title contender.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Lakers are hoping to shake up the roster before Thursday's trade deadline.
"Standing pat and hoping that winning percentage improves to finish the season strong is not seen as a viable option by players on the team, sources told ESPN," McMenamin wrote.
Unfortunately, Los Angeles isn't loaded with trade capital, which makes a significant addition highly unlikely. What might L.A. be able to accomplish before Thursday's 3 p.m. ET deadline? Let's take a look at the latest buzz.
Lakers Have Tried Shopping Talen Horton-Tucker, Kent Bazemore, Others
The Lakers don't have many enticing assets to offer in a trade, but they've been trying to see what they can get.
According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, Los Angeles has been shopping multiple packages in an effort to see what it could possibly get in return.
"They’re looking. They're trying. From DeAndre Jordan to Dwight Howard, to the Kent Bazemores of the world, to trying to see what this Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and first-round pick package can get," Fischer said on The NBA Chats podcast.
Per Fischer, the Lakers haven't even been calling with specific trade targets in mind.
"I don't know specific other frameworks that have been thrown out there, but the way it's been described to me is they’ve just been calling teams and saying 'hey, Talen Horton-Tucker, a first and Kendrick Nunn: What can that get us?' I think that's really where they’re at right now," Fischer said.
The Lakers appear desperate to make a deal, and if they're unable to over the next 24 hours, it won't be because of a lack of effort.
Horton-Tucker Has Minimal Trade Value
On the surface, Horton-Tucker seems like a solid trade chip. He's only 21 years old, he's averaging 9.4 points per game, and he's under contract through the 2023-24 season (player option).
However, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times has reported that Horton-Tucker doesn't have much trade value right now.
"League insiders have indicated that Talen Horton-Tucker and perhaps the team's 2027 first-round pick are on the table at the deadline," Woike wrote. "But my sources tell me the appetite for Horton-Tucker is low, with one experienced league source even calling the 21-year-old a player with a 'bad contract.'"
Horton-Tucker is set to earn $10.3 million next season, which is a tad high for a role player. According to Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus, Horton-Tucker's status as a Klutch Sports athlete is another issue.
"The whole Ben Simmons thing is complicated and is on Rich Paul’s resume," Pincus said on the FnA Podcast. "Whether it's Ben who's doing what he's doing or it's Rich. The perception is, it's Klutch. Do you want to get in bed with Klutch Sports on a player who if he blows up, you now need to overpay? That's what the Lakers are facing when it comes to trading him."
The Lakers appear extremely unlikely to land a valuable piece by trading Horton-Tucker straight-up.
Lakers Could Look to Dump DeAndre Jordan, Kent Bazemore Contracts
While Los Angeles' primary goal at the deadline is to improve its roster, it could also look to trim the financial fat in the coming days.
According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha and Bill Oram, the Lakers may be willing to dump the contracts of DeAndre Jordan and Kent Bazemore at or after the deadline:
"Other than trying to move Horton-Tucker and/or Nunn, the next-most likely move for the Lakers would be dumping the contract of one of DeAndre Jordan or Kent Bazemore, either via trade or buyout, according to league sources. The goal would be to both save money on their $150-plus million cap sheet and to create an additional roster spot, according to league sources."
While Jordan and Bazemore have both contributed this season, they haven't been integral pieces. Jordan has averaged just 12.9 minutes in 31 appearances, while Bazemore has averaged 14.7 minutes in 31 games.
Trading Jordan and/or Bazemore would be ideal, but both appear to be buyout candidates if still on the roster Thursday evening.