The Los Angeles Lakers are in desperate need of an upgrade to their defense. LA ranks 21st in defensive rating at 116.7, and teams like the Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies and the Minnesota Timberwolves are ahead of them.
Their recent performance against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday proved why they are ranked 21st in that category, as they allowed the Spurs to shoot 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from three. The Lakers need a significant upgrade in that regard, but it may not be the upgrade that they want.
Dan Woike of The Athletic reported that highly coveted Lakers trade target and All-Defensive forward from the New Orleans Pelicans, Herb Jones, may not join the purple and gold.
Woike reported that the Pelicans are not interested in trading the $68 million forward to Los Angeles.
"While Lakers fans can fantasize about some all-out liquidation of the three-win Pelicans' roster, team and league sources tell The Athletic that New Orleans is not interested in moving Jones. And considering what LA would have to offer in a deal, expiring contracts and a single first-round pick, the Pelicans almost certainly wouldn't engage at that price point."
Jones has been linked to the Lakers for some time, and there appeared to be a chance that LA could somehow land the 27-year-old. However, this recent report doesn’t offer any hope that LA will acquire Jones.
Nonetheless, Jones is exactly the type of player the Lakers need. His ability to guard multiple positions at an elite level makes him the perfect fit for a team desperate to tighten things up defensively. The former Alabama Crimson Tide brings the versatility, length and discipline that Los Angeles has been searching for - the kind of stopper who can immediately elevate their perimeter defense and take pressure off their stars.
If this report holds true by February, the Lakers will need to look at other ways to shore up their defense, with another point-of-attack defender on the market.
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