Los Angeles Lakers: Trade deadline targets that would help a playoff push

2. Robin Lopez, C

So everything that you just read about how great of a fit Nikola Vucevic is you can copy and paste right here for Robin Lopez. Got it? Next slide.

Vucevic and Lopez would accomplish virtually the same thing for the Los Angeles Lakers and both centers are in a very similar situation. Both guys are on young teams that just drafted young big men that could be a nice addition to a playoff team come February. If I had money to bet, I would bet both guys get traded before year’s end.

In Lopez’ case, the Chicago Bulls have sophomore power forward Lauri Markkanen and added another big man in the first-round in Wendell Carter Jr. The partnership of Markkanen and Carter could be one of the best young frontcourts in the game and could be scary dangerous in just a few seasons.

Plus, the team signed Jabari Parker to a two-year deal as well, only adding to the minutes’ overload in the frontcourt.

That does not leave much for Lopez to offer the Bulls outside of some veteran leadership off the bench that won’t make a huge difference regardless. While Chicago could sneak into an eighth-seed in the Eastern Conference, the team is not going to go far and would benefit getting something out of Lopez.

Again, enter the Lakers, who can offer a minimal trade package to take Lopez off the Bulls’ hands and allow him to be an impact in the postseason. While Nikola Vucevic might be the better center right now, Lopez is still much better than JaVale McGee.