Welcome to Layup Lines, our basketball newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.
It’s been more than two years since the Lakers have been relevant in the conversation of title contenders.
Ever since their 2020 bubble championship, LA has been in a free-fall, seemingly powerless to the forces of age, attrition and ever-increasing parity across the NBA.
The one man with the power to pull up on the control wheel and give LA a chance to compete is general manager Rob Pelinka. But his last big splash, a trade to acquire Russell Westbrook, only sped up the timeline of a splash landing.
Now likely in the hot seat, Pelinka has been given a second chance to get it right. He can thank Anthony Davis for that.
After a 2-10 start to this season, the Lakers ripped off eight wins in their next 10 games behind one of the best stretches of basketball in Davis’ career. In that stretch, AD averaged 35 points on 65% shooting, 15 rebounds and three blocks.
Without him on Tuesday, the Lakers lost to the Cavaliers, reminding us all of just how vulnerable they really are.
As constructed, the Los Angeles Lakers do not have a championship roster. They might not even be a playoff team, especially considering Davis’ insanely high level of play is not sustainable. But he does look ready to carry a team in some capacity. Which brings us back to Pelinka.
With a declining James locked in for two more years, and Davis making the leap to MVP candidate, Pelinka has to do something soon to improve this team.
According to The Athletic, LA is weighing three trade options, with a timeline of Dec. 15 to begin exploring. But simply exploring isn’t enough. They have to make a move.
More importantly, no matter who they bring in, Pelinka can’t miss. All of the reported trade options include some combination of players and draft picks. To continue shipping out first-round picks is to set the expectation that you’re going to win now. If the results on the court don’t align, Pelinka will be blowing the team’s present and future at the same time. I doubt that flies for much longer in LA.
The Tip-Off
Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.
While the Lakers fight to get past the play-in tournament section of the standings, other teams will be playing for something a little more prestigious.
It was announced Tuesday that the NBA has a new award for the team that finishes the regular season with the best record. Named after the NBA’s first commissioner, the inaugural Maurice Podoloff Trophy will we awarded this season.
Our guy Cole Huff wrote about the new award and why the Celtics might be the front-runners right now.
One to Watch
(All odds via Tipico.)
Detroit Pistons (+425) at New Orleans Pelicans (-10.5, -550), O/U 229.5, 8 PM ET
There are better games to watch on this jam-packed Wednesday of hoops, but there may not be a better lock than New Orleans to win against a Pistons team on the second night of a road back-to-back. It’s not just that Detroit is flying in from Miami, but also that New Orleans has won its last three games by an average of 17 points. I’ll take the Pelicans to cover this spread.
Shootaround
— Kenny Smith pushed Shaq into a Christmas tree on NBA on TNT
— The most lopsided NBA trades of the past decade
— Jose Alvarado’s surprising Sixth Man of the Year campaign has him in elite company
— Top NBA trade candidates eligible after Dec. 15
