Los Angeles Lakers: Five way-too-early midseason trade targets to watch
By Jason Reed
3. Aron Baynes
Another potential center trade target for the Los Angeles Lakers this season could be Aron Baynes, who is entering the last year of his contract with the Phoenix Suns. While Baynes is far from being a stat-sheet stuffer, he is a better all-around center than Plumlee and would be a better alternative to the Lakers.
The Phoenix Suns accepted the final player option year on Baynes contract for 2019 as the Australian center is set to make just under $5.5 million this year. Not only is he a better talent on the court than Plumlee, he is a cheaper asset, thus making it easier to work out a deal.
The Lakers do not have to send a large contract in return for Plumlee and can instead send a similar contract that is not producing at the time. Los Angeles would probably have to throw in Horton-Tucker and a second for the Suns to comply but it is easily doable.
That is probably the absolute best that the Suns would get for Baynes. The Lakers might be able to get away with just a contract and a second as the Suns would just be trading half a season of Baynes.
Baynes averaged 5.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. While those numbers are not that much better than Plumlee’s, Baynes definitely is a much better natural center than his Memphis counterpart.