On December 14, Beijing time, the famous record of Chalania broke the news that the Lakers are interested in the 76ers Ben Simmons and the Pistons' Jeramie Grant, but do they really have any hope of getting these two stars? CBS sports expert Quinn analyzed the lakers' operational prospects, pointing out the different difficulties of the two transactions.
Since signing James in 2018, the Lakers have reshaped the lineup several times. On December 16, Beijing time, most of the free agents signed in the offseason will be eligible for the trade, which also makes the team's trade negotiations more active. Quinn pointed out that the two players the Lakers are interested in, to get them have difficulty, but the difficulty level is different.
Trade Simmons: Three-way deals are also difficult to achieve
In Simmons's case, the biggest issue was money. Simmons has earned more than $33 million a year this season, and teams like the Lakers, which need to pay a luxury tax, can only absorb up to 125 percent of their paychecks, plus $100,000. To make such a deal happen, the Lakers would have to send away James, Brow, or Westbrook, but for now, a deal involving any of these three is unlikely.
Outside of the Big Three, the Lakers have almost no salary to match. If you insist on matching Simmons' salary, Quinn pointed out that the Lakers not only have to send Horton Tucker ($9.5 million a year), Nunn ($5 million a year) and 8 other players (all of which are basic salaries), it is clear that the Lakers cannot give up two-thirds of the players in the lineup for Simmons. In short, without changing one of the big three, there is basically no hope of getting Simmons.
Silverscreenandroll pointed out that the only way to get Simmons is almost a three-way deal for Westbrook, but it is very difficult to find a third team to participate.
Trade Grant: Quote or rival the Trailblazers
Quinn noted that Grant is easier to achieve when it comes to salary matching than Simmons. He once scored an impressive 36 points against the Lakers. The Lakers could match his $20 million salary by offering Horton Tucker, Nunn and a base-paid player, possibly with a draft pick. Grant's problem is that he is expected to miss 6 weeks of games due to a torn thumb ligament, and considering the Lakers' mission this season, it is a huge risk for him. However, considering the feasibility and the Lakers' lineup needs, forward Grant is a more likely goal to achieve.
The Biggest suspense for the Lakers is whether they're willing to send Horton Tucker away. A season ago, in order to keep Horton Tucker, the Lakers gave up the opportunity to get Lowry. Now, the Lakers need to re-evaluate his options for trading, Horton Tucker averaged 23.3 points per game in his first three games after recovering from injury, but then his performance fluctuated and his shooting performance was poor.
Even if the Lakers are willing to send Horton Tucker, they will face a lot of competition. Several teams, including the Blazers, are interested in Grant. NBA reporter Gozlan listed a comparison of potential offers from the Lakers and Trail Blazers. The Lakers can send Tucker, Nunn, a base-paid player, and they can also attach the 2027 or 2028 first-round picks. The Blazers can send McCollum, or Nurkic/Covington/Nance + Littleers/Simmons, and they can also come with one or more first rounds. In contrast, the Trailblazer's offer should be more attractive and have a larger range of options.