The Los Angeles Lakers must consider cutting ties with untrustworthy assets during the trade season.
The organization could send a highly disappointing guard duo to the Utah Jazz later this year.
“A deal that looks like this (D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood Schifino, and three future draft picks to the Jazz for Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler) would be enough to get the Jazz to agree,” Fadeaway World’s Aaditya Krishnamurthy wrote Thursday.
“Landing yet another first-round draft pick to add to their war chest will be enough to sweeten the deal and help seal the deal.”
“The Utah Jazz, as mentioned above, are a tanking team. They currently are the No. 14 seed in the Western Conference with a 5-20 record, the third-worst in the entire NBA.”
“They clearly don’t have the roster to compete at a high level. And holding on to two strong players who can help contribute to winning isn’t necessary right now.”
“Furthermore, their rebuild isn’t just one or two pieces away from being completed, and they will be in the draft lottery for at least a few more years.”
“Landing some draft picks allows them to scout out players in the upcoming draft classes. Or it allows them to make some trades later when they are ready to bring in some big players.”
“And lastly, D’Angelo Russell is on an expiring contract, which means they only have to keep him for the remainder of the season, and then decide whether they want to re-sign him in free agency.”
“And Jalen Hood-Schifino, even though he isn’t quite at the required level, can be a player who can develop into a strong franchise piece in the years to come.”
While Russell has exhibited flashes of brilliance this year in his demoted role, the 6-foot-3 guard can’t be relied on to perform at an acceptable level regularly in a Lakers uniform.
Russell averages 12.8 points per contest on subpar shooting splits through 27 games.
Hood-Schifino, on the other hand, hopes to revive his NBA career after a troubling start with the Lakers.
The Indiana product has been a non-factor in Los Angeles since 2023, netting a measly 1.7 points per game on 23.7% field goal shooting and 13.3% three-point shooting in 23 contests.
However, with the Jazz content with developing Kessler, it’s challenging to envision this trade occurring this season.
More NBA: Lakers predicted to acquire $96 million Celtics reject via trade
