The Los Angeles Lakers have activated Plan B after failing to trade for Brooklyn Nets’ superstar Kyrie Irving.
Irving was the Lakers’ No.1 target, however he will eventually remain with the Brooklyn Nets, especially after Kevin Durant’s decision to cancel his trade request and return to the squad.
That said, the 17-time NBA champions have now shifted their focus on signing veteran players that will offer decent solutions on both ends.
As a result, they have targeted Utah Jazz veterans Patrick Beverley and Bojan Bogdanovic, who are both available for a trade.
Beverley, a defensive-minded guard, joined the Jazz as part of the deal that sent Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves. For his part, Bogdanovic has been one of the best three-pointer shooters in the league, averaging 39.2% from beyond the arc in his career.
Patrick Beverley and Bojan Bogdanovic are two potential trade targets to keep an eye for the Lakers, per @ShamsCharania on @PatMcAfeeShow.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) August 23, 2022
The Lakers aim to bolster their roster and return to title contention after a disappointing 2021/22 campaign. So far, they have made very few additions and will certainly need to add more players.
Even though they wanted to trade Russell Westbrook, it is likely the superstar guard will remain with the squad as we are moving closer to the training camp (late September).
The franchise has also been linked to Dennis Schroder, but whether they will pursue the German guard will depend on the roster moves the team will make.
No matter what happens in the end, Schroder (excellent offensive skills), Beverley (excellent on- and off-ball defender) and Bogdanovic (impressive outside shooting) would be great additions and an upgrade to the roster.
Shams: "The Lakers are open to anything that will make their team better… I don't think that they're done necessarily. Kyrie Irving to the Lakers for now is not a thing."
Some names he mentioned:
– Patrick Beverley
– Bojan Bogdanovic#NBATwitter #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/JZKLkfx7iL— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 (@_Talkin_NBA) August 23, 2022
