The Los Angeles Lakers' weird season continues, and now they are gearing up for the NBA trade deadline this week. Los Angeles has been up and down all year long and they know that a trade needs to be made to improve the roster.
The biggest name connected with the Lakers has been point guard Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks. Murray would give the Lakers a true point-of-attack defensive guard who can also score the ball at will.
Other than Los Angeles, only one team has been known to have made a trade offer for Murray. That would be the Utah Jazz, who likely could outbid the Lakers to land Murray from Atlanta.
"The Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz are the only teams to have made concrete offers to the Atlanta Hawks for one-time All-Star Dejounte Murray, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Fischer."
Per Alessandro Maggi of Sportando
The level of interest from the Jazz is unknown at this time, and Murray may not fit their needs at this time. But the fact that Utah has made a trade offer should make the Lakers worry a little if he is their big target.
Los Angeles doesn't have a lot of trade assets to work with, so they are hoping that the Hawks value what they can offer. In the proposed deal that has been floating around, the Lakers would have to reroute point guard D'Angelo Russell to a third team.
Atlanta doesn't need Russell, and it's been tough to find someone to take him on. But the two teams remain in talks as the trade deadline approaches later this week.
Murray would be an incredible get for the Lakers, both for this season and beyond. He is on a reasonable contract and gives them another potential All-Star option to have in the post-LeBron James era.
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