Los Angeles Clippers have struggled this season and remain near the bottom of the standings. With signs pointing toward them eventually becoming sellers, it naturally raises a question around the league. Could the Los Angeles Lakers be in position to take advantage?
The situation could not look more different on the other side of the hallway. The Lakers have emerged as a legitimate playoff force, sitting at 19-7 in the Western Conference. With LeBron James back in the lineup and Austin Reaves continuing his steady rise, they are not a matchup any team can afford to overlook come postseason time.
Still, the Lakers are not without flaws. Their offense looks solid, but the defense continues to raise concerns. A proposed trade could address that, with the Lakers acquiring two defensive players from the Clippers to help solidify the roster.
Per Lake Show Life:
“Lakers receive: Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn
Clippers receive: Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, 2031 First-Round Pick
Jones is an all-purpose disruptor who can fly around anywhere on the perimeter. Dunn is the point-of-attack pest this roster so clearly lacks. And they aren’t just good in the point-prevention side of defensive, either. Both are certified playmakers on that end, with Dunn averaging better than 1.5 steals and Jones supplies more than a block per outing from the small forward spot—all while neither is logging even 27 minutes a night.
That ability to generate live-ball stops is big, because that can help fuel what probably should be a prolific transition attack but hasn’t actually been one (26th in fast-break points). The mere idea of Doncic or Reaves leading the break while the other spaces off-ball and James goes hard-charging to the basket is nightmare fuel for opposing coaches.”
