Fans often say “the possession ends here” with Michael Porter Jr., and thanks to new reporting, some of the trade rumors do, too.
Report Throws Cold Water on Lakers, Michael Porter Jr. Rumors
Siegel: Lakers Not Interested in MPJ
In a new batch of intel published Thursday, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel confirmed that the Nets are hanging onto the 27-year-old Porter Jr., adding that the Lakers weren’t looking to add him in the first place.
“While quickly on the topic of Porter, it is worth mentioning that the talk of the Los Angeles Lakers possibly throwing their hat in the mix for Porter isn’t a realistic possibility and something they do not have a desire to do, sources said. The Lakers have signaled that they do not want to take on big money at this time, regardless of how many years a player has left on their contract.”
The 2023 NBA champion was traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Brooklyn Nets last July, and he’s since enjoyed a career year despite the Nets’ tanking efforts. In 34 games, Porter Jr. has averaged 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field, 39.6% from three and 84.6% from the free-throw line. Despite being a standout scorer and perimeter marksman—traits that would no doubt help the Lakers—Porter would not solve the team’s defensive issues, making a deal for him and his $38 million salary futile at best.
The team’s reluctance to “take on big money” could also put them out of the running for Porter’s teammate, Nic Claxton. The 6’11” defensive anchor has averaged 12.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game for Brooklyn. And while he’d be an upgrade over LA’s starting center Deandre Ayton, Claxton is also in the middle of a four-year, $97 million contract that he signed in June of 2024.
Still, between three expiring contracts (Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent), two limited forwards (Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht), and one tradable first-round pick, the team has the assets to make a solid upgrade—no matter what “Lakers tax” rivals try to impose.
Marcus Smart on Lakers’ Road Trip Leading Up to Deadline
The 26-16 Lakers are currently on a grueling eight-game road trip, which will, ironically, end just before the Feb. 5 trade deadline on Feb. 3. After LA’s comeback win in Denver, Marcus Smart addressed the reality the team faces away from home.
“It’s part of the business, unfortunately. You know, a lot of us have been through this, multiple years. So, you kind of get used to it. But it is difficult. … Because you just don’t know. You build a relationship with the guy to the left and to the right, and then he could possibly be gone, or you could possibly be gone. So it’s tough, but we’re all professionals, and that’s part of the business.”
“This stretch has been crazy for us,” Smart continued. “We haven’t been doing a very good job winning the games that we think we should. So for us, this is definitely going to be a good challenge for us, for us to get back on track.”
Lakers’ Upcoming Road Slate
In addition to making moves, the Lakers will have several chances to improve their standing in the next couple weeks. The rest of their road stint is as follows, beginning with tonight’s “Battle of LA” (all times Pacific).
- Jan. 22: Lakers at Clippers, 7 p.m. (Amazon Prime Video)
- Jan. 24: Lakers at Mavericks, 5:30 p.m. (ABC)
- Jan. 26: Lakers at Bulls, 5 p.m. (local TV, NBA League Pass)
- Jan. 28: Lakers at Cavaliers, 4 p.m. (ESPN)
- Jan. 30: Lakers at Wizards, 4 p.m. (local TV, NBA League Pass)
- Feb. 1: Lakers at Knicks, 4 p.m. (NBC)
- Feb. 3: Lakers at Nets, 4:30 p.m. (local TV, NBA League Pass)
The Lakers return home for a game hours after the deadline, at 7 p.m. against the Philadelphia 76ers. Time will tell if the front office makes necessary changes, or if they stand pat like some years past in the LeBron James era.
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