Deal confirmed : Lakers Linked to Clutch PG After D’Angelo Russell Trade

 

The Los Angeles Lakers are among the top three potential landing spots for Sacramento Kings All-NBA point guard De’Aaron Fox if he is traded, Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on January 2.

“The San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers top the list of teams that are most often discussed as possible Fox landing spots, with others sure to make a run at him if (when?) he’s truly on the market,” Amick wrote.

 

But among the teams linked to Fox, “the Spurs’ noise is the loudest,” according to Amick.

 

 

The Spurs are looking for a long-term pick-and-roll partner for last season’s NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, with the 39-year-old Chris Paul as the placeholder.

On the other hand, the Heat are still facing the potential departure of six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler, who is expected to become an unrestricted free agent after this season by declining his $52.4 million player option for next season.

 

 

The Lakers also need another playmaker after they traded away their top point guard, D’Angelo Russell, to acquire versatile 3-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith

 

However, Russell was the Lakers’ biggest salary ballast in a potential star trade.

Fox, the 2023 NBA Clutch Player of the Year, and an All-Star in the same season, would command a Kings’ ransom if he becomes available.

 

With Russell’s expiring salary now gone, the Lakers are left with Rui Hachimura ($17 million), Gabe Vincent ($11 million) and Jarred Vanderbilt ($10.7 million) as their potential salary matching contracts in a Fox trade.

 

The Lakers could technically trade three first-round picks, but one of those is the top-4 protected pick in 2027, which they currently owe to the Utah Jazz in the Russell Westbrook trade in 2023. That still holds weight since LeBron James could be retired by then.

They also have three pick swaps (2026, 2028 and 2030) and two second-round picks available to add to their three first-rounders (2027 top-4, 2029 and 2031) if they go after Fox.