Lakers Trade Rumors: Making the case for grabbing Kemba Walker

Adding Walker gives them a chance at the best bench in the league

If we thought having a solid second unit led by Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams was something last season, just wait until Kemba Walker has the keys. It’s hard to think of a justification the front office would use to give Walker starting minutes in a deal, although anything can happen.

Assuming that the air is cleared rather quickly on this potential deal, Walker wouldn’t have Clarkson or Randle to work with, but that won’t matter.

This move, in my opinion, gives you the excuse to also bench Kenatavious Caldwell-Pope and give him reduced playing time while also upping Hart’s time spent on the floor. The reason this is so critical is that Lonzo Ball is going to need a shooting guard that he can grow with and excel with on top of having Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and eventually (we hope) a quality center.

More from LA Sports Hub

• Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
• LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
• LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
• Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
• LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month

If Kuzma remains a starter after the trade happens, the bench would look something like Kemba Walker, KCP, Larry Nance Jr., Corey Brewer, and Ivica Zubac. For Los Angeles fans, this might not seem like a very dangerous second team at all, but when Walker has been averaging north of 21 points per game, there will not be as high of a demand when it comes to the contributions of everyone else in that part of the depth chart.

This means any good defense from KCP, solid scoring or rebounding performances by Nance Jr., and the smooth veteran presence of someone like Brewer will make it all come together. This will also help develop Zubac potentially at a faster pace than what he’s growing at right now because he’d be sharing the floor with a veteran floor general who can take care of most of the scoring.

Plus, after this season ends, Walker only has one year left on his deal. So if at any point, should his numbers drop below what they need to be for him to be a factor, LA can either cut their losses and move on in a subsequent trade or let him walk when his deal expires without committing any kind of crazy money or for any lengthy period of time.

If the Lakers are serious about a quality veteran, there’s no reason for them not to try and pursue this.