The Los Angeles Lakers are still searching for their first win of the season after racking up four losses in the first week of the season. This is certainly not the season the team was hoping for, but certainly the one most expected. The Lakers continue to deal with injuries that are exposing the lack of moves the team made during free agency. Already down two key players for the season, will the Lakers figure out a way to make a trade?
The players on the roster are trying to remain positive. The Lakers first lost Nick Young to an injured hand. He will not make his return for possibly another month. Steve Nash was officially lost for the season after suffering from back issues once again. Rookie Julius Randle was lost for the year following a broken leg suffered in the season opener. Suddenly, there is a great deal of pressure on players like Jeremy Lin to step up. His start to the season has been quiet, but Bryant remains confident in a turnaround. The point guard played with a more aggressive attitude against the Clippers getting praise from his veteran teammate.
"That's exactly what he should do - is be the point guard and orchestrate things and get us into sets and get us flowing, get us moving, be aggressive," Bryant said, via ESPNLosAngeles.com. "You have to be able to assert yourself, especially on a team that I'm playing on - especially on a team I'm playing on. Because I don't want chumps, I don't want pushovers, and if you're a chump and a pushover, I will run over you. It's important for him to have that toughness and to say, 'I believe in myself. I can step up, I can make these plays, I can perform.' I think that is very, very important."
Lin is playing off a one-year contract. The Lakers will want a bigger name than him for the long-term which could force the team to at least ask about trades during the season. The lack of talent on the Lakers can only be exposed for so long before Los Angeles attempts to make a move.
According to John Zitzler of Basketball Insiders, the Philadelphia 76ers are shopping Michael Carter-Williams despite his strong rookie season. The point guard is the reigning Rookie of the Year which might lead many to wonder why he is being mentioned in trade talk in the first place. However, the 76ers are once again in a state of rebuilding and would ideally like to garner draft picks for the future. Carter-Williams is their best available asset to do so. However, if the 76ers want draft picks, they will not be sticking up a deal with the Lakers.
Los Angeles could also be in play for someone like Norris Cole. The Miami Herald speculated that the Heat might attempt to trade the point guard in order to let Shabazz Napier start getting playing time. Considering they have Mario Chalmers signed for a few more seasons, Cole is expendable, but also would not cost the Lakers a great deal.
