Lakers stay idle at the trade deadline
LOS ANGELES — Sometimes making no move is the best move, and that was the case for the Lakers, who went cold at the deadline, staying idle with their roster as the deadline was surrounded by numerous trades on the final day.
While L.A. stayed content, some of the top teams in the Western Conference made moves to strengthen their rosters.
The top team in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder, made the first big move in the West, sending guard Tre Mann and big man Davis Bertans to the Hornets for former all-star Gordon Hayward.
The Dallas Mavericks made the next move in the West, also involving Charlotte, acquiring forward P.J. Washington in exchange for Grant Williams, Seth Curry, and a first-round draft pick.
The Phoenix Suns made multiple bolster moves, obtaining Nets Royce O’Neal and Grizzlies Davis Roddy in a three-team deal, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
On Wednesday, the Minnesota Timberwolves added Monte Morris from a rebuilding Pistons team for Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr., and one second-round pick.
As the West strengthened, the East made some splashes of their own at the deadline.
The Knicks acquired Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from Detroit for Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Malachi Flynn, and two second-round picks.
The Philadelphia 76ers made a deal with the Indiana Pacers for 3-point specialist Buddy Hield for Marcus Morris, Furkan Korkmaz, and three second-round picks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The buyout market will be a key play for the Lakers to reinforce their roster, with names like Spencer Dinwiddie, Joe Harris, Marcus Morris, and Robin Lopez hitting the buyout market.
The long-term plan for the Lakers, with three first-round picks available to trade this offseason, is to make a run at an All-Star-caliber player this summer.
