It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers are trying to find a playmaker in the trade market or as a free agent after Thursday’s trade deadline. It appears as though they made an attempt for one of the best backup point guards in the game.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers made an attempt to trade for OKC Thunder guard Dennis Schroder but those talks “did not go very far.”
The Lakers inquired about Dennis Schröder as they look to fortify the PG position leading up to the trade deadline, sources told ESPN. The conversation did not go very far, as OKC — currently the No. 7 seed in the West — were not looking to move him without a hefty return.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 5, 2020
Schroder is averaging 19.1 points and 4.1 assists per game while playing over 31 minutes off the bench. He is likely the favorite to win the Sixth Man of the Year award as the Thunder have surprised everyone with a great season, behind the three-headed monster of Schroder, Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Schroder would be a great fit for the Lakers who routinely stagnate offensively when LeBron James heads to the bench. His defense leaves a lot to desire but the Lakers would be able to live with that behind their elite team defense.
That said, the Thunder are going to value Schroder highly given they can keep their team together and try to make a playoff run. If they do trade him, they would likely want first-round picks in return as general manager Sam Presti is known for accumulating. It’s no surprise then that these talks did not go very far.
So far, it seems as though the Lakers are doing their due diligence on a number of fronts but they do not appear very close to making any trades.
