Lakers trade rumors: New trade targets for LA after 2019 offseason news
By Jason Reed
Chandler Parsons — Memphis Grizzlies
“Was good, for a minute,” may be the perfect way to describe Chandler Parsons and his NBA career. Flashes of brilliance on the Houston Rockets from 2012 to 2014 led Billionaire Mark Cuban to dump a three-year, $46 million contract on Parsons. After two decent years with the Mavericks, Parsons opted out of that deal.
Then the Memphis Grizzlies made perhaps a deal so bad that it mirrors Luol Deng. The Grizzlies signed Parsons to a four-year, $94 million contract prior to the 2016 season. Parsons has averaged 7.3 points per game in his short, 60 game, Memphis Grizzlies career.
However, that deal is set to expire right in time for the 2019 summer and could give the Lakers some serious cap space. I get it, why waste a draft pick on trading one bad contract for another bad contract that is one year shorter.
However, this is a move the Lakers have to take. As I mentioned before, Los Angeles is likely going to be a fairly decent team with their young guys next year. While it may not seem like it now, the Lakers very well could land just the 12-14th overall pick.
When you put it in that perspective, it is more than worth it to throw in that pick for one less year of bad contracts. Los Angeles is only sacrificing a pick that probably won’t translate well to the NBA. In return, they get to have fun in the summer.