At 22-18, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves firmly ensconced in the middle tier of the Western Conference pack — they’re currently the No. 6 seed, although that could change depending on the result of their Tuesday clash against the 6-35 Washington Wizards.
Los Angeles has already made a big move this season after sitting out the best several transactional deadlines for making trades.
Last month, the Lakers ditched the expiring contract of point guard D’Angelo Russell, second-year forward Maxwell Lewis, and three future second round draft picks, sending them to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for 3-and-D small forward Dorian Finney-Smith and microwave scoring guard Shake Milton.
But the club could still use another dynamic scorer and big wing defender to paper over the defensive issues of 20-time All-Star forward LeBron James, who at 40 is one of the league’s best players.
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A new trade proposal from Ricardo Sandoval of Sports Illustrated would see the Lakers making another trade with the Nets.
In this hypothetical, Los Angeles would offload a talented young starter, some future draft optionality, and additional contracts in exchange for a very talented combo forward and an intriguing young big man.
Lakers Get: Forward Cameron Johnson, center Day’Ron Sharpe
Nets Get: Forward Rui Hachimura, point guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, point guard Gabe Vincent, a 2029 first round draft pick, a 2030 first round draft swap, a 2025 second round draft pick
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“With this hypothetical trade, the Lakers get an elite 3-and-D wing who can score for himself and play solid defense,” Sandoval writes. “Johnson is the type of player who fits perfectly next to the Lakers’ superstars.”
Cam Johnson this year: 19.1 points per game on 67% TS, 43% from 3, 46% on pull-up 3s, 77% at the rim pic.twitter.com/pWwvCi3Fzc
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) November 25, 2024
Johnson would represent an upgrade over Hachimura, yes, while Vincent is a solid defender but so limited on offense that his $11 million annual salary has become an eyesore. Hood-Schifino, a former first round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft whose third-year team option was declined by Los Angeles at the start of the season, is clearly not a part of the Lakers’ future plans.
But the real question surrounding a Johnson deal, essentially, boils down to this: is the juice worth the squeeze?
good example of how Cam Johnson easily creates offense this season: pic.twitter.com/QaRchLDmOA
— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) January 21, 2025
The 6-foot-8 UNC product is averaging a career-best 19.5 points on .500/.426/.897 shooting splits, 4.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.8 steals a night. He’d give the club major shooting and scoring help, and would also significantly bolster L.A. defensively on the wing and in the frontcourt.
Should the Lakers look to offload some major future equity in an effort to improve their chances at playoff glory, with superstars James and Anthony Davis clearly aging? Would Johnson give L.A. enough to beat the best teams in the Western Conference, specifically the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder?
Regardless, Los Angeles brass may owe its two best players a better chance to win right now.
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