NBA Rumors: LA Lakers Could Trade Three Players And Draft Pick For Kyle Lowry, Per ‘Bleacher Report’
The Los Angeles Lakers may have won the NBA championship last season, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t try to improve their roster this fall. Like other title contenders, the Lakers are far from perfect and have issues that they need to address on their team, including their need for another shot creator and playmaker. One of the players that the Lakers could target on the trade market in the 2020 offseason is veteran point guard Kyle Lowry of the Toronto Raptors.
In his recent article, Dan Favale of Bleacher Report suggested a trade scenario that would enable the Lakers to form their own “Big Three” of Lowry, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis in the 2020-21 season. In the proposed deal, the team would send a package including Avery Bradley, Alex Caruso, Danny Green, the No. 28 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, and the right to swap picks in 2022 to the Raptors in exchange for Lowry. Before pushing through with the trade, the Lakers would first need to convince Bradley to opt into the final year of his contract.
Though it would cost them three important members of their rotation and a first-rounder, Favale believes that trading for Lowry would make a lot of sense for the Purple and Gold.
“The Lakers might consider this asking price too steep. They shouldn’t. Lowry is an ideal fit beside LeBron and Anthony Davis, someone who can stroke spot-up threes and set screens but also pilot the offense on his own. That he comes off the books in 2021 is similarly convenient. LeBron has a player option for 2021-22, and though the Lakers won’t be max-contract-ready without renouncing both, it does open the door for scenarios in which they re-sign for less to facilitate the arrival of someone else.”
Lowry may already be on the downside of his career, but he could still play at a high level. His arrival in Los Angeles could immediately address their need for another shot creator and playmaker to lessen the burden on James’ shoulders on the offensive end of the floor. Lowry would likely give the Purple and Gold a third star who is a very reliable scoring option, playmaker, perimeter defender, and floor-spacer.
Last season, he averaged 19.4 points, five rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.4 steals while shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. With his experience playing alongside the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Lowry likely won’t have a hard time building chemistry with James and Davis in Los Angeles.
As of now, Lowry hasn’t shown any sign that he’s no longer happy with the Raptors. However, he might be intrigued by the idea of playing for a team that could give him a realistic chance of winning his second championship ring.
