The Los Angeles Lakers are currently without the services of LeBron James, their first-choice ball-handler. James suffered an ankle injury. As such, it was expected that the team would carry out small upgrades but avoid any massive overhauls. However, it seems the team is on the list of possible suitors for Kyle Lowry.
Furthermore, the Lakers have stated they are open for negotiations over veteran players such as Montezl Harrell, Dennis Schroder, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. However, as Toronto is reportedly preparing for a rebuild, they would prefer a promising youngster instead.
The Place For Kyle Lowry
Be that as it may, Kyle Lowry would be a suitable third-choice for the team that already has superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Lowry is one of the best shooters and defenders who has experience playing alongside superstar wings. Kyle Lowry can also put in a comfortable performance as the second ball-handler. Furthermore, one of the highlights of his career is his leadership for the bench, a statistic where James has not been successful.
However, the deal itself is still quite far off. The Lakers will have to release $28.5M to hit the trade apron. A further amount would be needed to replace the team with enough free agents. They can mathematically let go of Schroder and Caldwell-Pope to get to an amount of $29.5M. One of the potential free agents the Lakers are hopeful for is Andre Drummond.
As such, the move would be an immense gamble. A restructuring of this size, that too in mid-season, would imply that the new group would only have a few weeks to gel together. Furthermore, the timeframe would possibly be even shorter given that Davis and James are currently injured.
However, the Lakers must have assessed their own limitations in the face of Brooklyn’s domination. If they decide to change the situation by bringing in a big name, Lowry is the perfect pick.