Los Angeles Lakers: Five way-too-early midseason trade targets to watch
By Jason Reed
4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
If you have not picked up on the trend yet then let me explain: the most that the Los Angeles Lakers are probably going to get at the trade deadline is a player that is on an expiring contract. The team does not have the luxury to take on a multi-year contract unless the perfect situation presents itself and the Lakers can’t offer much future capital.
Thus, here we have another player that is on the last year of his contract in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. And unlike Baynes, his contract is not as easy to deal with as he is set to make $13 million this season.
It is possible to get done though as the Lakers could include someone such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Troy Daniels and Talen Horton-Tucker in order to make this happen. A second-round pick would probably be needed in that situation as well.
The Lakers would be trading two years of KCP for one year of MKG but it would be worth it if the Lakers see positive signs in MGK and KCP continues to disappoint. While MKG has fallen off a bit in the last few years, this is someone who averaged 12 and six a few years ago.
He would balance out the bench more as well as he would help at the small forward position, allowing Avery Bradley to play the two and Rondo and company to handle the one. That is a better alternative than having KCP play the three.
Oh, and the team would be opening up potential cap space to either bring back MKG or bring in another player that fits better than KCP.