With the NBA trade deadline nearing its conclusion, the Los Angeles Lakers are no doubt busy trying to find the right deals. In the meantime, they appear to be keeping everyone on their toes, even team reporters:
Lakers having shootaround availability right now, which I thought was weird. It was supposed to start 15 mins ago and it's still a black "Lakers PR" screen on Zoom. Brilliant way to distract everyone that covers the team with an hour left before the NBA trade deadline lol pic.twitter.com/Ra8fDrGsjV
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) March 25, 2021
This is a power move by the Lakers. Whoever came up with the idea, tip of the cap. While unnecessary, it certainly does draw some attention away as they undoubtedly continue to work the phones.
And Ryan Ward, who covers the Lakers, is right. It would be odd to have shoot around availability right now. Imagine Talen Horton-Tucker talking to the media and having someone enter the frame and whisper in his ear, “You've been traded.” We've never seen that before.
https://twitter.com/CauseWereGuys/status/835162393604947969
There's a lot of pressure on the Lakers' front office to capitalize right now. With LeBron James and Anthony Davis both out with injuries, they will have to come up with the framework of a rotation that can keep things afloat while they await the returns of their two superstar players.




Kyle Lowry, Andre Drummond (if he's bought out), Myles Turner, and many others have been rumored and linked to the Lakers with nothing coming to the light yet.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets have added Aaron Gordon and JaVale McGee, the Celtics added Evan Fournier, Chicago took Nikola Vucevic away from Orlando, and Philadelphia acquired George Hill.
It's doubtful the Lakers completely let the trade deadline pass without making a single move. As the trade deadline winds down, a lot of eyes remain on Los Angeles.