The Los Angeles Lakers are experiencing one of the worst starts in franchise history after suffering back-to-back setbacks at the hands of the Houston Rockets and the Phoenix Suns in their season-openers.
Already crippled by injuries to Nick Young (out for four more weeks with an injured thumb) and Steve Nash (out of the season with recurring back problems), the undermanned Lakers saw another disaster unfold before their eyes, as rookie forward Julius Randle suffered a season-ending broken tibia in the fourth quarter of the game against the Rockets.
With still 80 games left in their schedule, the Lakers have to make a decision what path they are going to take. Are they still committed to contend for a playoff spot in a very loaded Western Conference or will they choose to follow the Philadelphia 76ers' grand scheme in tanking for the future?
Should the Lakers decide to fight till the very end, there are few options left for them to improve their roster. Solid veterans and youngsters are still available, while Nash's large expiring contract could help them facilitate a trade for a much needed scoring punch.
Option A: Lakers trade Steve Nash's expiring contract and a second round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for Alexey Shved/ Tony Wroten and Henry Sims or to the Phoenix Suns for Gerald Green.
Nash's season-ending back problems didn't spare him from become a potential trade bait for the Lakers, because of his attractive $9.7 million expiring deal. Teams badly needing some salary relief or just wanting stay under the salary cap could make a gamble on Nash for the reason alone.
The Lakers would love to get a young playmaker of Shved or Wroten's caliber who could develop into a pretty solid piece for the team moving forward. Green is another interesting trade target because of his incredible athleticism and increasingly potent three-point shooting. The Suns have been trying to solve a log-jam at the wing position, and a trade might be the only way to fix it.
Option B: Lakers should sign available free-agents. At this point of the season, the only players left on the free-agency market are either veterans or D-League/overseas players hoping to crack into the big league. Still, everyone with potential and cheap is valuable for the Lakers at this point.
Gal Mekel, who was waived by the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday to make room for JJ Barea, could be a nice option to add depth at the point guard position behind Jeremy Lin and Ronnie Price.
In an even crazier thought, they might give Andrew Bynum a chance at redemption once he feels his knee is read for NBA action. After all, the 7-footer is capable of producing big numbers, if he's motivated enough. And playing with Kobe Bryant will surely give him all the motivations he needs to play at a high level.
Option C: This might be too embarrassing for the Lakers, but Chad Ford of ESPN believes it's time for the purple-and-gold to tank the season away in hope of landing a top-notch prospect next season. Big man Jahill Okafor and Emmanuel Mundiay are two of big names up for grabs next summer. These youngsters are considered once in generation talents with superstar potential, just perfect for a rebuilding team.
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