The Los Angeles Lakers are on the brink of elimination after losing two consecutive road contests to the hungry Anthony Edwards-led Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Lakers, who trail the Timberwolves 3-1 entering Game 5, will need LeBron James to orchestrate another memorable playoff comeback to keep their season alive.
If Los Angeles experiences a shocking first-round exit, the organization must search for seasoned and accomplished assets to add to their flawed roster.
Clutch Points’ Spencer See predicts the Lakers will swap Dalton Knecht for a Sacramento Kings star forward in free agency.
“Another major suitor last offseason for (DeMar) DeRozan was the Los Angeles Lakers,” See wrote Tuesday. “DeRozan is no stranger on expressing his desire to take his talents to Los Angeles.”
“However, despite repeated interest from both sides, a deal simply never materialized. Nonetheless, both DeRozan and the Lakers can finally make it happen in the offseason. Although to make it happen, the Purple and Gold would probably need to sacrifice two key rotational pieces to entice the Kings in the form of Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht.”
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“Both Hachimura and Knecht have had some bright moments for the Lakers during the 2024-25 season. The former is one of the best outside shooters in the team, while Knecht has provided a solid case to be a part of Los Angeles’ future.”
“Add in a protected first-round pick, and the Purple and Gold could be in line to form another big three. While there will be questions surrounding DeRozan’s fit, he would love to play for his hometown.”
Sacramento fell flat on its face during the 2024-25 regular season. Acquiring DeRozan last summer was expected to keep the Kings in playoff contention this year.
Considering head coach Mike Brown was fired in late December, and the Kings missed the playoffs despite adding another superstar in Zach LaVine midseason, it’s appropriate to suggest Sacramento endured a disappointing season.
The 40-42 Kings lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the No. 9 vs. No. 10 Western Conference Play-In contest on Apr. 16, ending their underachieving campaign.
Still, DeRozan, a polished mid-range jump shooter who’s a proven go-to scorer in crunch time, undoubtedly played well enough to receive interest from legitimate title contenders in the offseason.
The USC product averaged 22.2 points per contest on 47.7% field goal shooting in 77 regular-season contests.
While the Lakers desperately need a big man with high-level rim protection and a compelling offensive skill set, landing DeRozan would help strengthen a perimeter unit that’s far from talent-deprived.
Knecht, a skilled 6-foot-6 guard with a high ceiling, would be the perfect trade chip in a summer deal involving DeRozan.
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