FanPost

Bamba and Beasley... the third option.




So, there has been much discussion about Bamba and Beasley and their non-guaranteed contracts.

We've discussed quite a bit whether the Lakers should keep them, since each adds some value that they were lacking before the trade deadline - volume 3-point scoring by Beasley and a stretch big who can play defense by Bamba (sorry Thomas Bryant, your defense was weak... sorry Wenyen, your shooting is weak). There is an issue with this, in that if the Lakers keep both and also re-sign D'angelo and Rui and Austin, then they're already deep into the luxury tax, which might make it difficult to re-sign Dennis or Troy or both.


We've discussed whether to waive one or both. That wouldn't get them any cap space. But it might get them enough wiggle room that they could use the non-taxpayer MLE and/or the BAE. So it would allow them to offer more money to either Dennis and Troy or to free agents from other teams. Not enough to lure a Kuzma or anything like that, but possibly someone as good or better than Dennis or Troy.


But there's a third option that I haven't really seen discussed here. Trades. Not "in the future" trades after keeping them around, but actual trades this summer. As mentioned, both Bamba and Beasley have some value. Beasley has the third most made 3's in the NBA in recent years (behind only Curry and Hield). Bamba is a stretch big who actually plays reasonable defense. There might be teams that want Beasley or Bamba who don't have the Lakers luxury tax situation, so wouldn't think twice about 16 million for Beasley.


So... for example... what if some team was willing to trade a good backup PG for Beasley or Bamba? If they did that, then Dennis would become expendable. Or what if some team has a glut of wings, but would really like to get a stretch big? That might make Troy Brown Jr expendable.

I'm not saying I don't WANT those guys. But if there's a money crunch that will make it difficult to keep them all, then another option to waving Beasley's 16 million so they could spend more on Dennis & Tory would be trading Beasley's 16 million for a replacement for Dennis or Troy (possibly even an upgrade). Or if either Dennis or Troy pulls a Malik Monk on them and leaves for an offer from another team, then trading either Beasley or Bamba for a replacement might be an option.


Just a thought.

Thoughts? Target trades?