As the Lakers hope to bounce back and right the ship for the rest of the season, new reporting indicates the team isn’t aiming for another blockbuster.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently revealed that the purple and gold are hoping to keep their depth instead of sacrificing it in another shake-up:
“The Lakers don’t want to have to make a big move, they prefer to retain their depth and the one last first-rounder they’re allowed to trade. They sure don’t want to trade Reaves and his good contract or trade three players for one like they did with Westbrook. They believe in the formula they have, which is a cadre of long defenders supporting future Hall of Famers. Yes, they can’t shoot and it’s a problem. Yes, their defense has fallen off and it’s a problem. But if they end up doing something significant, it will probably be kicking and screaming. Keep that in mind when evaluating your visits to the trade machine.”
At 19-19 and ninth in the West, it’s no secret the Lakers need to upgrade through trades. While searching for the perfect fit, several big names have come up—namely Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray. Now, another key player could enter the conversation, and this time, the luck might be in the Lakers’ favor: Hornets guard Terry Rozier.
Lakers Rumors: Could LA Trade for Hornets Star Guard?
Background
Rozier’s name came up in The Athletic’s piece discussing the biggest need for every team at the 2024 Trade Deadline. Buha wrote:
“The Lakers have several needs, but the buzz around the organization is that offense — particularly 3-point shooting and downhill athleticism — are the areas they hope to address within the next month. That could come in the form of a splashy trade for Zach LaVine or Dejounte Murray, or a smaller move for a role player like Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale or Terry Rozier.”
Rozier has played 24 games for Charlotte this season, and he’s been on an offensive tear in the process. He is averaging career-highs in points (24.3) and assists (seven) on 46% shooting from the field and 37% from three. He has scored at least 30 points six times this year, including a season-high 42 (14/22 FG, 8/12 3PT) against the Suns on Dec. 29. Rozier has been just as effective stopping the ball. He’s averaging 1.1 steals per game and making key contributions despite the Hornets’ horrid defense (28th in the NBA).
The veteran guard’s ability to win should not be forgotten, either. Rozier was a key part of the 2018 Celtics squad that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. In 19 games, he put up 16.5 points and 5.7 assists on .406/.347/.821 splits. Since then, he struggled in the 2019 playoffs and has been stuck on a rebuilding Charlotte squad. However, he has grown as a player and will help a contender immediately. The 8-26 Hornets, by contrast, are way outside of the playoff picture. So, perhaps a change of scenery is needed for both sides.
The Case for Terry Rozier to the Lakers
Similar to other targets, Rozier’s offensive prowess and his success in big moments can give the Lakers some life. His presence would take most of the ball-handling pressure away from Austin Reaves, and he’d give LA another bona fide bucket-getter next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The fact that he’s on a three-year, $56.7 million deal—less expensive than LaVine’s and shorter than Murray’s—adds to his case.
As for what a deal could look like, the Lakers would need to ship off D’Angelo Russell, a minimum-salary player (e.g. Jaxson Hayes) and their 2029 first-round pick to match Rozier’s $23 million salary.
Russell has adjusted well to his role off the bench. But despite his success in LA’s recent wins, he has declined to speak to the media afterwards, which is notable amid the trade speculation around him. Hayes would make sense in this deal, given Christian Wood’s success as AD’s backup and Charlotte’s need for bigs. There’s also a chance that LA makes another run at the recently-waived Bismack Biyombo, whose rebounding and defense was on full display for Memphis. Trading Hayes and his two-year contract makes more sense than waiving him.
Finally, there’s the question of LA’s draft capital (or lack thereof). They only have one tradable first-round pick this season compared to three they could move during the 2024 Draft. Attaching it to a trade like this works better than scrambling for picks to get someone like LaVine.
The Lakers may be better off going for smaller trades to improve the roster, emphasizing “fit” over “name” without sacrificing their depth. Adding a premier shot-creator and defender in Terry Rozier could go a long way towards keeping LA in the postseason hunt.
