Without a doubt, the Los Angeles Lakers have what it takes to compete in the NBA Finals and take home a championship this year. The Lakers are among the league’s most formidable teams when they perform at their peak.
However, the Lakers don’t always play at their peak. Los Angeles went through its worst stretch of the season in the same month that it dominated its way to the first NBA Cup in league history. The groundwork is in place; it just needs to be expanded.
It makes it clear that the Lakers will be involved in trades at the NBA trade deadline. The Lakers have the resources to be active at the deadline this season, whether it be through a major acquisition like Zach LaVine or smaller ones.
The purple and gold could benefit greatly from a long list of plausible trade targets. But one stands out above the rest, and Pelinka and the front office should give it top attention this season.
For the Lakers, Royce O’Neale is the ideal sleeper trade target.
Royce Although O’Neale is not going to suddenly become the Lakers’ third-best player, he could have a significant impact on the team’s championship hopes. Players like O’Neale would raise the Lakers’ ceiling and are capable of swinging playoff games and this playoff series.
The Lakers ought to be aiming to bolster their roster with a role player like O’Neale. He is a fantastic point-of-attack defender and a three-point shooter who could greatly assist the Lakers on the perimeter. For the Lakers in 2020, O’Neale would be a better Danny Green if he keeps playing the way he is in Brooklyn.
O’Neale is making a career-high 5.7 three-pointers per game, shooting 38.8% from three. O’Neale has attempted 1,163 threes in his career and shot 38.8% of them over the previous four seasons. 33 NBA players have made 1,100 three-point attempts and have a percentage above 38%. O’Neale is right behind Paul George with the sixth-best defensive rating out of those 33 players.
O’Neale has a 1.4 DBPM and is one of just nine players this season to have made at least 60 threes with a Defensive Box Plus/Minus above 1.0. Of those players, only three (LeBron James, Derrick White, and Mike Conley) have a higher DBPM than O’Neale.
O’Neale has a $9.5 million contract that is about to expire. As an expiring player, he shouldn’t come with a high price tag, and the Lakers can definitely acquire his contract. Taurean Prince and Jalen Hood-Schifino combined would probably be sufficient. If not, it would require one or two second-round selections to make Brooklyn accept the offer.
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