LA Sports Hub
Fansided

Los Angeles Lakers: Three players to target starting Dec. 15

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 20: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers argues a call with referee Jason Phillips #23 during the first quarter of the game between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on October 20, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 20: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers argues a call with referee Jason Phillips #23 during the first quarter of the game between the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on October 20, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Wesley Matthews

The Dallas Mavericks are playing pretty good basketball and are currently the seventh seed in the Western Conference. Granted, the Western Conference is a jumbled mess and all it takes is one cold streak to move down in the standings. The Mavericks are still only three games ahead of the 14th (second to last, if you’re counting) seed in the Western Conference.

While the Mavericks certainly can make the playoffs, the chances are that the league will eventually resort to normal and the Mavericks will finish with the ninth or tenth seed in the Western Conference.

Even if the Mavericks do make the NBA Playoffs, there is virtually no chance that the team can beat a top-three seed in a seven-game series. While it would be good for the sake of experience, the Mavericks know that the Finals are an unobtainable goal this season.

With that in mind, the team might be better off trading one of its impending free agents in Wesley Matthews. Matthews is an upgrade for KCP and could be acquired in a package as small as KCP, a young contract (like Isaac Bonga) and a second-round pick.

This might not seem like a lot for the Mavericks. However, it is not a terrible return, especially if the team has any indications that Matthews will leave after this season.

Caldwell-Pope can play filler for Matthews spot while giving the Mavericks some upside in Bonga and a pick that they can work into other deals in the future.

Home/Los Angeles Lakers