An NBA team needs playmaking. Above all else, they need a primary playmaker. Still, a team doesn’t want to give one player too substantial of a burden. A team needs secondary and even tertiary playmakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers have their primary playmaker. LeBron James is one of the best playmakers in NBA history. Is D’Angelo Russell a sufficient secondary playmaker?
That’s a difficult call. Russell is a talented playmaker, but he’s not a star. The Lakers could swing a blockbuster trade to add some playmaking to their roster. Alternatively, another playmaker that’s roughly on Russell’s level may suffice.
How about Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets?
NBA Trade Proposal: Los Angeles Lakers Land Brooklyn Nets’ Spencer Dinwiddie
Brooklyn Nets Receive: F Rui Hachimura, G Gabe Vincent, F/C Jaxson Hayes
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Spencer Dinwiddie, F Royce O’Neale
One thing is clear: the Lakers need help. This has been a difficult season for the Lakers. In some respects, it’s difficult to explain their struggles this year. James is playing at an All-NBA level, and Anthony Davis may be as well.
Moreover, isn’t being in Los Angeles supposed to be an advantage? This is the biggest market in the NBA – the Lakers are supposed to succeed. They’ve leveraged their market to attract stars, but for whatever reason, the Lakers are struggling anyway.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Nets fans will not sympathize. They’re in a huge market in their own right, and they’re also struggling. Meanwhile, there’s no LeBron James to bank on in Brooklyn.
Should they trade Dinwiddie to Los Angeles?
Why The Brooklyn Nets Do The Deal
Dinwiddie is having a somewhat difficult season in his own right. He’s been exposed on the defensive end, and his offensive efficiency has been lacking throughout 2023-24. His play has turned a corner recently, but the Nets aren’t likely to land an unprotected first-round pick for him.
So, a pair of younger players ought to suffice. Hachimura is the centerpiece of this deal. He’s proven himself to be a solid defensive wing who can create for himself in the midrange area. Hachimura would be a sensible addition to this roster.
So would Hayes. He’s the youngest player in this trade. Hayes hasn’t made much of his time in Los Angeles, but he’s a solid ball-handler at his size who offers some defensive value.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Brooklyn could see Hayes as a replacement if the Nets are wary of extending Nicolas Claxton this summer. Should the Lakers part with the young big man?
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
Don’t mistake O’Neale for a throw-in here. He’d replace Hachimura in the Lakers’ lineup. He may be a better fit alongside James. O’Neale isn’t as dynamic of an offensive player, but he’s at least equal on the defensive end, and he’s a more reliable floor spacer.
Still, this is about adding Dinwiddie’s playmaking. Sure, he’s been inefficient in 2023-24. In all likelihood, his efficiency would spike alongside the defensive attention that James and Davis command.
Moreover, both Dinwiddie and O’Neale are on expiring contracts. The Lakers’ immediate future is somewhat murky.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Spencer Dinwiddie, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Adding a pair of expiring contracts gives them more flexibility in the summer. If they’re successful after the deal, they may look to retain Dinwiddie. After all, every team needs more than one playmaker.
