Confirmed deal : Lakers trade target Will Rob Pelinka pay up for Cam Johnson

 

For years, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to find a two-way wing to fill out their frontcourt alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James. They currently employ Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt, both of whom are significantly more impactful on one end of the court than the other. As combining those two players is probably against the rules in the current CBA, the Lakers must instead find such a player on the trade market

 

Cam Johnson is the top two-way wing on the trade market. The Lakers have the pieces necessary to meet the Brooklyn Nets’ asking price. The question, once again, is whether Rob Pelinka will push those chips into the middle of the table.

 

 

Johnson would immediately solidify the Lakers’ frontcourt and become the team’s best two-way role player (on nights he’s focused defensively). He’s currently hitting 42% of the 7.6 threes per game he’s attempting. The 19.1 points per game he is scoring is the highest of his career. Most importantly, though, he’s played in 27 of the 28 games Brooklyn has played so far this season.

 

 

 

Johnson would immediately solidify the Lakers’ frontcourt and become the team’s best two-way role player (on nights he’s focused defensively). He’s currently hitting 42% of the 7.6 threes per game he’s attempting. The 19.1 points per game he is scoring is the highest of his career. Most importantly, though, he’s played in 27 of the 28 games Brooklyn has played so far this season.

 

If he’s able to stay healthy and continue scoring at anywhere near that pace, he’d take the Lakers back in the direction of defensive versatility and shooting that helped win the 2019-20 championship