They have already made a big move, but will the Los Angeles Lakers trade Rui Hachimura or rookie Dalton Knecht as well?
That is the question that many fans are asking right now as the trade deadline quickly approaches. The Lakers don’t have a lot of options to improve their roster, but the team has some lofty goals. For example, they are hoping to add more power to their frontcourt alongside Anthony Davis. Therefore, wouldn’t a trade featuring Hachimura and Knecht make that possible?
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus doesn’t think that’s very likely. According to him, the Lakers are adamant about holding onto both of those young players.
Will The Lakers Trade Rui Hachimura Or Dalton Knecht?
Pincus’ reporting says a few Lakers won’t be on the trade market before the upcoming February 6 deadline. Unsurprisingly, Davis and LeBron James won’t be up for grabs. But, Hachimura and Knecht will also be held onto by the Lakers’ front office.
“Competing executives have also told B/R that the Lakers (at least to date) have shown no interest in discussing trades that include Rui Hachimura or Dalton Knecht (or, obviously, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Bronny James, etc.)…The two recently acquired players (Finney Smith and Milton) cannot be aggregated in trade before the February 6 deadline—taking Milton out of the equation.”
The fact that the Lakers want to hold onto Knecht isn’t surprising. The rookie is posting 9.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game during his first 35 games of the season. Because of that, he has been celebrated as one of the best rookies in the league. The Lakers clearly value Knecht and see a long-term future with him.
Hachimura, who has started all 30 games he’s played, is producing averages of 12.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He is shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the three-point line.
LA isn’t looking to ship these two away, which shows how much they believe in them. And while holding onto Hachimura and Knecht severely limits the Lakers when it comes to making a deal, that doesn’t mean they don’t have some options.
Potential Trades
So, if the Lakers aren’t going to trade these two players, who else can they move?
They still have a list of contributors who could be sent to other teams before the deadline, including Jaxson Hayes, Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood. As great as he’s been lately, the Lakers could also ship Max Christie if they get a valuable return in exchange for him.
But if the Lakers are hoping to make a big splash with a trade, they will likely have to get rid of a few players as well as some draft picks. Life would certainly be easier for them if they were willing to say goodbye to Hachimura and Knecht. But they are intent on keeping both players and seeing how much they can add to the team in the years ahead.
LA’s front office wants to keep Hachimura and Knecht, which means they will have to get creative and smart.
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