If the Los Angeles Lakers trade Kendrick Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker during the offseason, the names of Duncan Robinson, Malik Beasley and Christian Wood have been mentioned as possible parts of a potential deal.
Sean Deveney of Heavy.com looked at potential offseason trades and focused on the Lakers’ problems pertaining to trade capital, with Nunn and Horton-Tucker possible considerations to be dealt.
“Who could the Lakers target with the pair?” Deveney asked. “It might be tough to get anything done without giving up a future first-rounder, and the Lakers are short in that respect—they can’t trade a pick until 2027, and are reluctant to give up picks that far out. But it won’t be impossible. The exec threw out, hypothetically, Duncan Robinson of the [Miami] Heat, Malik Beasley of the [Minnesota] Timberwolves and Christian Wood of the [Houston] Rockets.”
Nunn never actually played with the Lakers during the 2021-22 campaign, sitting out after struggling to bounce back from injury. However, during his two seasons as a member of the Heat, Nunn showed that he can contribute on the court.
Horton-Tucker has played the last three seasons with the Lakers and shown flashes of talent, even if his numbers aren’t of the eye-popping variety. He’s just 21 years old and could potentially flourish if offered more playing time somewhere else.
Robinson is a player who the Heat developed after signing him as an undrafted free agent. He’s got long-range shooting ability, though his role in the Heat’s lineup has recently diminished.
Beasley has played six seasons in the NBA, spending time with both the Denver Nuggets and Timberwolves. His scoring average dropped this season after he was primarily used as an option off the bench.
Wood is a player who has seemingly found a home with the Rockets, averaging 21.0 points per game during the 2020-21 season and 17.9 points per game this season.
After missing out on the postseason, the Lakers have plenty of time to zero in on the right trade option for them. None of the deals may come to pass, but it’s clear that changes need to be made.
