At the beginning of the new season, the champion Golden State Warriors fell sharply, and the Lakers became the leader in the West. However, an Achilles tendon tear made the team's veteran James regretfully reimbursement, and what was even more embarrassing was that the "little emperor" Anthony Davis ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee again. The Lakers, who have suffered heavy losses, have plummeted in the Western Conference and have a bleak outlook. How to save the defeated Lakers? In the dead of night, this seems to have become the most concerned question in the hearts of every Lakers fan.
In the latest episode of the basketball show, Yang Yi, a well-known Chinese NBA commentator, gave advice to the Lakers, and he proposed a bold trade plan - using Hachimura and Russell to offer Klay to the Warriors!
In the current predicament, it is urgent to reinforce
After suffering the blow of two major players missing one after another, the Lakers' record plummeted. As of now, they sit in 8th place in the West with 17 wins and 15 losses, just on the edge of the play-in zone. The Lakers, who thought they were ambitious to return to the Finals, now have a top priority on how to avoid missing the playoffs for two consecutive years.
The defense is not too much of a problem, and the team's offensive end is the crux of the lack of strength. James is the team's No. 1 scorer, and Davis is the team's defensive veteran, and the absence of the two at the same time undoubtedly hit the Lakers, who already lack depth. Especially on the offensive end, there is no consistent second scoring point except for Russy, and role players like Wall are also hot and cold.
What's worse is that the three-point shot has always been the weakness of the Lakers. The league's bottom-to-bottom three-point shooting percentage is not worthy of coexisting with the "Lakers" at all. Good outside shooting is essential to open up the game when opponents are defending the inside of Janroy. At this point, it is urgent to strengthen the Lakers and improve the offensive power on the outside. This is also an important reason why Yang Yi pushed to use Russell + Hachimura to quote Clay.
Trade Russell + Hachimura for three-point shooter Clay
Yang Yi believes that Klay is the perfect reinforcement for the Lakers' outside offense. Winning championships with the Warriors for many years, Klay has a wealth of playoff experience and a stable mental quality. Despite the injury plague in the past two years and the decline in performance, the average of 16 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists per game is still at a first-line level. The most important thing is that he can give the Lakers a consistent and reliable three-point shot. Klay has shot 7.2 three-pointers this season and shot 37.7 percent from the field, which is significantly higher than the level of Lakers players.
And defense won't be a problem either. As a young man, Klay was named to the All-Defensive First Team five times and was one of the top players in the league despite his dip. What's more, with James and Davis in charge, Klay only needs to play at a normal level to fit the Lakers system perfectly.
If the Lakers want to get Klay, they must use the right chips to negotiate a trade with the Warriors. Yang Yi's proposal was to trade Russell and Hachimura for Clay. Russell is the Lakers' biggest addition to the new season, and he can be a good playmaker in James' absence. But the problem is also obvious, Russell's style of play is highly repetitive with James. When James returns to the team, he will return to the bench position, which will have little significance for the Lakers' overall combat strength.
As for Hachimura, he is a typical substitute role player. He mainly relied on running off the ball to finish the offense, and his jump shot was poor and he lacked consistent output. In the face of modern basketball, which is increasingly emphasizing the outside, a pure interior style of play like Hachimura has become obsolete.
Overall, Russell and Hachimura are both dispensable characters for the Lakers. Using them to offer Klay to the Warriors with a number of future picks (concession assets) would undoubtedly allow the team to improve across the board.
The Klay Warriors negotiations are at an impasse or showing signs of loosening
Klay's relationship with the Warriors has also come to this point. In '19, after successfully defending the title, the Warriors decisively gave Klay a five-year $190 million overcontract, which shows how much the team values him. Throughout history, Klay has undoubtedly been an important contributor to the Warriors' dynasty, and together with Curry Thompson, he built the era of the Splash Brothers.
However, injuries and illnesses are relentless, and this is not what it used to be. Klay's two serious injuries in the 2019 Finals and early 2020 almost ended his career early. Despite returning from injury, Clay's physical condition and competitive condition are no longer at their peak. His average of 16 points and 3 rebounds per game this season is disappointing, and what is even more lethal is that the number of shots has dropped dramatically, and his shooting percentage is only 41.6%, a career low.
In the face of Klay's poor performance, the attitude of the Warriors' management has changed significantly. They no longer intend to give Klay an over-contract, but instead expect to keep the veteran at the right price — a two-year, $48 million offer that Klay decisively rejected. This undoubtedly shows that the two sides are divided on the issue of renewing the contract.
As the first brother of the Warriors, whether Klay can guarantee his form is directly related to the team's hopes of winning the championship. In the event of unsatisfactory performance, the Warriors may have plans to make way for their successor. This may be an important reason why Yang Yi is optimistic about "Klay joining the Lakers". After all, from a management's point of view, the 38-year-old injury-ridden Klay will struggle to help the Warriors achieve their dream of defending the title.
The Lakers have an annual salary of $34 million, and Klay is in sight
If the Lakers want to get Klay, the salary ratio is the first issue. According to the Alliance's rules, the difference between the total annual salaries of the two parties cannot exceed $15 million. And Klay's annual salary this season is as high as $40.6 million, which undoubtedly causes problems for the Lakers.
However, Yang Yi has prepared the perfect plan for this. He offered to trade Hachimura and Russell with Vincent to complete the salary match. Hachimura signed a three-year, $51 million contract with an annual salary of $15.74 million in the new season; Russell receives $11 million a year, and the two together are a perfect match for Klay. Coupled with Vincent, a dispensable role player, the salary problem is solved.
At this point, Klay has all the external conditions to join the Lakers. The key is whether the Warriors are willing to let go of the veterans in the end. But from a team development perspective, it's a win-win deal.
It remains to be seen whether Klay can successfully join the Lakers. But Yang Yi's trade plan is undoubtedly worth pondering for Lakers management. Strengthening the team and improving the weaknesses on the outside is the most urgent task at the moment. And Klay fits all the needs of the Lakers, and he will be a key part of the team's championship.