The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to bolster their three-point shooting this offseason. With that in mind, L.A. has reportedly reached out to the Brooklyn Nets about a trade involving sharpshooter Landry Shamet.
According to SNY's Ian Begley, the two sides have discussed the framework of a deal that would send Shamet and the Nets' first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft (No. 27) to Los Angeles, while the Lakers' No. 22 pick would head to Brooklyn. Per Begley, it remains “unclear” if the Nets would ask for either Kyle Kuzma or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the exchange.
The Lakers are among “several teams” who have talked to the Nets about a draft-pick-centered trade involving the 24-year old sniper, per Begley.
Los Angeles has no cap space and few tradable assets outside of Kuzma, KCP, and the No. 22 pick. Most of the remaining rostered players — not including LeBron James and Anthony Davis — are pending free agents (sign-and-trades are hard to pull off), and they cannot deal another first-rounder before 2027.
As a result, the Lakers have been aggressively shopping Kuzma and KCP, to no avail thus far. Various reporting has indicated GM Rob Pelinka's willingness to move up or down in Thursday's draft.
Shamet isn't the third star/play-maker Los Angeles is seeking, but he would help remedy their perimeter shooting woes — a stated priority by Pelinka. The Lakers were oft-plagued by their meager and inconsistent long-range output throughout the 2020-21 season.
For his career, Shamet has shot 39.7% on 8.5 three-point attempts per 36 minutes. He drained 10-of-26 threes for Brooklyn during the 2021 playoffs.
Shamet — who has already played for the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Nets in his young career — is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so he's eligible for an extension right now. His current $3.7 million salary for 2021-22 makes him relatively easy to trade for, financially speaking.
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