In this summer's offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers first hollowed out chips for Westbrook, and then signed a number of strong players in the free agent market. As one of the most anticipated teams, the Lakers' performance after the start of the game is somewhat unsatisfactory. A series of injuries have left the Lakers with no full roster so far this season, and James has missed nearly half of the games, leaving the team without any chance to complete the team's run-in. Two months after the start of the game, Westbrook still hasn't shown the improvement it has brought to the Lakers. Although the league's all-time triple-doubles picked up after mid-November, he clearly couldn't lead the Lakers to win the game in James' absence. With the attempt to bring in Westbrook temporarily unhealed, the Lakers had to try again to find opportunities in the trading market.
Recently, Shams Charania, a well-known journalist in the NBA, shared the recent situation of the Lakers in an interview with a show. As far as he knows, the Lakers are currently the most active of all the NBA teams in the trading market, and the Purple and Gold Army has asked for the trading possibilities of multiple players. It is reported that the Lakers management is eager to improve the strength of the team, and the transaction is likely to occur in the short term. Lakers management is currently targeting young and energetic wing players, with Jeramie Grant and Ben Simmons being the most vocal candidates. Shams also said on the show that the Lakers believe that the reason for their current record is the lack of young players who are at the peak of the team, and Simmons and Grant are clearly in line with the Lakers' needs. It is reported that the Lakers' offer mainly includes Westbrook, Horton Tucker, Nunn and their 2027 first-round picks.
Ben Simmons hasn't played a single game this season, not even in team training. While the reason for his official absence was mental illness, everyone knew the three-time All-Star forward was waiting for a trade. Previously, Simmons' closest next home was the Warriors and Trail Blazers. But now that the Warriors' record is all the way red, it is obviously impossible to break up the current lineup for Simmons. The Blazers' McCollum suffered a serious injury, and they also fell behind from the Simmons scramble after losing their core chips. Although Simmons is not good at shooting, his static talent, athleticism and defensive skills are urgently needed by the Lakers now. With no competitors, it won't be very difficult for the Lakers to trade Simmons with Westbrook.
Compared to Simmons, Jeramie Grant may be a better option for the Lakers. Grant, 27, has proven himself not only to be a top 3D player in the last two seasons, but also to have a certain ability to score autonomously. In the last two seasons, Grant has averaged 21 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.85 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, performing quite well in all aspects and becoming a quasi-All-Star. After selecting Cade Cunningham in this draft, the Pistons have focused their team on the young point guard. That put them instead of giving Grant, whose contract expires next summer, a top-salary extension, and it gave Grant the idea of asking for a deal. Whether it's Simmons or Grant, the Lakers need to make a decision as soon as possible. After all, the regular season schedule is about to pass the halfway mark, and there is not much time left for them to integrate the lineup.