The NBA trade deadline is slowly approaching, and Los Angeles Lakers fans are hoping their team will make a big splash in order to resurrect its championship hopes.
The Lakers are 22-23 and in ninth place in the Western Conference. It’s not exactly what they envisioned last summer when many expected them to be contenders, and it has left them aggressively canvassing the trade market for an upgrade or two.
The player they have been linked to the most is Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. Reportedly, a search for a third team to take on D’Angelo Russell in a possible deal is underway.
According to NBA insider Sam Amick, people around the league feel there is a very real chance Murray will end up with the Purple and Gold (h/t Lakers Daily).
“It feels like that has got very real legs to it,” The Athletic’s Sam Amick said regarding rumors linking Murray to the Lakers. “… It’s a question of how long does [Hawks general manager] Landry Fields hold out? But it feels like the Lakers have separated themselves from the Dejounte pack, and it feels like — to some degree — they’ve locked in on him as a guy they think can help them.”
Murray, a 6-foot-5 combo guard, is averaging a career-high 21.4 points a game this season. He has dramatically improved his 3-point shooting and is known as a strong defender and a speedy player in the open court, which are all qualities L.A. badly needs.
