In a game that ended earlier today, the Lakers lost 107-113 to the Heat on the road and missed a two-game winning streak. But for the Purple and Gold Legion, that wasn't the only bad news they had today. According to a number of U.S. media joint reports, the Detroit Pistons have rejected the Lakers' offer for forward Grant, and the Wizards are currently leading the competition for the forward. It is reported that the Lakers are currently running into a wall in the trading market, and neither Westbrook nor Tucker has received enough attention as chips. With less than a month to go before the trade deadline, the Lakers already seem to have struggled to get reinforcements through trades. A number of NBA trading experts also said that the Lakers will strengthen more through internal mining this season, and they will most likely "quietly pass the trade deadline".
In the summer of 2021, in the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers sent almost all the tens of million-level contracts in the lineup to the Wizards as chips in order to form the Big Three lineup of Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis. After forming the Big Three lineup, the Lakers had to use a base salary contract to fill the lineup list, which is undoubtedly the main reason why they lost the trading initiative this season. The chips currently available to the Lakers are mainly Westbrook, Tucker, Nunn, who has not yet played this season, and the only tradeable first-round pick for the Class of 2027. Given that Westbrook's contract is too big to find a suitable deal, the Lakers' current offer mainly revolves around Tucker, Nunn and the first-round picks. According to media reports, the Lakers' trade chips with the Pistons include Tucker, Nunn and the 2027 first-round pick, but the offer clearly did not impress the Pistons. After missing Simmons, the Lakers once again missed out on a strong reinforcement, Grant.
Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times exposed the Lakers' top brass. According to Brad Turner, a veteran lakers reporter, the Lakers' top brass had a fierce quarrel over the team's situation this season. Some management believe that in the case of little hope this season, it is better to stay on the trade market and keep the chips until the summer or even next season. Another part of the Lakers executives believe that James' excellent form this season is rare in his current age, and the Lakers should continue to maintain the mentality of winning in the present and do their best to return to the championship this season. It is reported that the only way for the Lakers to get rid of Westbrook's contract this season is to take the first round of signing with the Rockets to reach a Walway less swap, but this also means that the Lakers will completely lock up the team's future trade possibilities.
Xiaobian believes that the Lakers should not pursue trade too much before the trade deadline this season. Although the team has had poor chemistry this season and has not established a winning culture for the 19-20 season, when both Westbrook and James have played well, the team is not without the ability to beat strong opponents. According to the information previously released by the Lakers, Anthony Davis and Nunn will both return to the team lineup by the end of January. After the health of all the staff, internal diving, so that Westbrook and Tucker play a better price is the Lakers' more pragmatic way out this season. Knowing that the Lakers' veterans will be a year older next season, locking up the trading space early is obviously not good for the team at all.