The Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling ever since superstar small forward LeBron James went down with the groin injury he suffered on Christmas Day versus the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers' young core of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma hasn't been able to deliver the goods since The King got injured, prompting some in Laker Land to ponder if Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka should have a sense of urgency and make a trade this season.
LeBron James is 34-years-old. Although he isn't showing too many signs of slowing down, father time is undefeated, and at some point, LeBron won't be the best player in the world anymore.
A lot of Laker fans want to trade for New Orleans Pelicans superstar big man Anthony Davis. New Orleans has consistently said they will not trade Davis, but if AD declines the supermax extension from the Pelicans after this season ends, the franchise might have to move him because they can't risk losing AD for nothing.
While acquiring Anthony Davis would give LeBron James the superstar sidekick he needs with the Lakers, there are three other star players Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka can go after this season and not waste a year of having James on their roster.
3. Orlando Magic big man Nikola Vučević
Nikola Vučević isn't a household name, but he is a player who can help the Lakers immensely and one of the most underrated players in the league.
Vučević is a walking double-double and he would be a huge upgrade to the Lakers' front court. To make a deal work out financially would be difficult, but the Magic would probably want some type of package with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and picks.
LeBron James is one of the best passers of all-time. Imagine how deadly he and Vučević would be in the pick-and-roll/pop game. He's not Anthony Davis by any means, but Vučević is a player who can score from the post with ease and perimeter, and it would give James a player he can rely on in the clutch.
On the season for Orlando, Vučević is averaging 20.2 points and 12.0 rebounds and shooting 53.1 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc. That's the type of production the Lakers and LeBron need from the frontcourt.
2. Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker
Hornets All-Star point guard Kemba Walker will become an unrestricted free agent after this season ends. Can the Hornets afford to lose Walker for nothing in free agency? No. That's why they have to think about trading him before the 2019 February trade deadline because there's no guarantee Walker is going to re-sign with the Hornets in the summer.
The Lakers can offer the Hornets Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram for Walker. Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers tried to acquire Walker and get him to The Land next to LeBron, but a trade was never able to be made.
Walker has one of the nastiest crossovers in the game and he can get a bucket on any defender in the NBA. The scoring guard is kind of like James' former point guard — Kyrie Irving — in the sense that he's a isolation heavy guard. We saw the success that James and Irving had together in Cleveland, so it's not a reach to say that The King and Kemba would be a lethal duo together in Los Angeles.
Walker can get to the basket whenever he wants, and despite his small stature, the explosive guard can finish in heavy traffic. Right now, the Lakers don't have another player who can take some of the offensive burden off of James' shoulders and score in bunches. Walker is a guy who has been carrying the offensive load in Charlotte for years now, so we know he can run the show.
Playing in the Western Conference would suit well with Walker's game. Kemba loves to push the pace off makes and misses. He and LeBron would be a force together in transition and would put constant pressure on defenses by not allowing them to get set in their half court sets.
Walker, 28, is averaging 25.4 points and 5.8 assists this year while shooting 44.0 percent overall and 35.9 percent from the 3-point line.
1. Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal is one of the best shooters in the game and he would be the perfect player to pair alongside LeBron James. Players who have stellar shooting strokes have always meshed well with James. Just look at how successful Ray Allen was with James in Miami and Kyle Korver was with The King in Cleveland.
Bradley Beal is better than both Allen and Korver at this stage of his career. He's a player who can score 20 points with ease in a variety of ways. He's not just a shooter, as Beal can put the ball on the floor and create his own shot off the dribble, and also drive to the hoop and finish at the rim.
The reason a lot of pundits think Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson would be a good fit next to LeBron is because Klay doesn't need the ball in his hands to be a threat, and the same can be said about Beal.
Beal does a lot of his damage on catch-and-shoot shots. Imagine how wide-open Beal would be on the Lakers when James is driving to the hoop and collapsing the paint.
There has been talk that the Wizards could trade Beal if a good deal came on the table. The Lakers could offer Brandon Ingram, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a first-round pick for Beal. The Wizards would get a promising young player in Ingram who might play better by being on a team where he can take more shots, and an expiring contract in KCP.
Beal is averaging 23.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists for Washington. The 25-year-old sharpshooter is shooting 46.5 percent from the floor and 33.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Of course, if Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka want to hold off and just go all in on Anthony Davis this summer, they should. But there is no inclination that the Pelicans will trade Davis even if he declines the supermax extension. Is it really worth wasting another season of LeBron James with the current roster? Only time will tell.
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