The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to jump into the title race, and could make the right move by trading Rui Hachimura for Trey Murphy III. The Pelicans are in last place in the Western Conference standings and headed toward the lottery. They should be open for trading before the February 5 trading deadline. Fans may think Murphy is out of the Lakers’ price range, but getting strong value for Hachimura could change that.
Rob Pelinka is no stranger to pulling a rabbit out of his hat at the deadline. They surprisingly traded for Luka Doncic last season. The Lakers could do it again, but it would cost them a starter and their remaining draft capital.
The Bulls are looking for a forward who can play next to Matas Bouzelis. Chicago could finish in the top six and make the playoffs in the Easter Conference with an upgrade. That might be just what the Lakers need to steal Murphy away from New Orleans.
The Lakers’ entire Rui Hachimura trade involves getting a young wing upgrade
The Lakers have a tradable first-round pick and multiple swaps. They aren’t afraid to go all out by locking down Luka Doncic as their alpha. Now it’s time to bring in a potential wing co-star, who is locked in a cheap contract until 2029. They know they need to upgrade before February 5th.
The deal also allows the Lakers to acquire a backup big man in Karlo Matkovic. They might have to dump a lot of expired salary to make the math work, but it could be a win-win trade.
The Bulls get a frontcourt upgrade in Rui Hachimura to make up for Kevin Huerter’s expiring contract and a first-round draft pick. Chicago will likely want to sign Hachimura to a long-term deal to keep his price tag reasonable.
The Pelicans get two ending salaries, two first-rounders, two first-round pick swaps and the Lakers’ 2032 second-rounders. Joe Dumars has made some questionable trades since taking over the Pelicans, but he reportedly has a high price for Trey Murphy. Dumars gets two guaranteed picks here and two more with the potential to move up in the first round.
Murphy is quietly becoming an elite wing. He is averaging 20.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals in 35.6 minutes per game this season. The 6’8 wing is shooting 47 percent from the field and 36.8 percent on his threes through the first 16 games. He has already produced 0.5 Value Over Replacement Player (VORP).
The 25-year-old is a perfect fit for the Lakers’ timeline. He could join Luca and Austin Reeves as core members of the franchise for the next decade. This would give Los Angeles the horses to compete for a championship this season and make them a title threat in the 2030s.
The Los Angeles Lakers should only trade Rui Hachimura if they are getting a significant upgrade. Trey Murphy III certainly offers that. He continues to improve and already has a strong relationship with Lakers head coach JJ Redick. If LA can make that happen, this could be a perfect match.
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