The Los Angeles Lakers started their eight-game road trip with smiles on their faces after a decisive 115-107 win over the Denver Nuggets. This portion of the schedule is going to be challenging for multiple reasons. Marcus Smart did an excellent job capturing those with his recent comments.
With seven more games remaining, this road trip is going to take the Lakers right up to the trade deadline on this year's schedule. The last away game of this stretch will be played on Feb. 3 against the Brooklyn Nets. The NBA trade deadline is on Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
Smart said, "It's part of the business, unfortunately. I know a lot of us have been through this multiple years ... but it is difficult. ... You build a relationship with the guys to the left and to the right, and then you could possibly be gone. ... It's tough, but we're all professionals, and that's part of the business."
If the Lakers do wait until the very last moment to make any deals, anyone leaving can catch a flight out of LAX, since the team will be back home to face the Philadelphia 76ers on Feb. 5. However, anyone traded before then will have to relocate amid a grueling road trip, making an already challenging part of the NBA experience only that much worse.
Lakers’ punishing road schedule collides with trade deadline pressure
The Lakers do have a bit of a caveat to this eight-game road trip. While these are all designated away games, one of them will be very close to home.
Luka Doncic and company will spend Jan. 22 'on the road' against the Los Angeles Clippers. It's a designated away game, but obviously the Lakers will get to enjoy the comforts of being near Hollywood.
Even so, the harsh realities of trade season, and the looming unease of the deadline will come mostly on the road. Going from a hotel room to a new franchise's doorsteps is a path that almost surely awaits at least one current Laker.
Granted, the upcoming trade deadline is expected to be a quiet one for the Lakers.
The disruptions for the franchise and their players could be minimal as a result, even with these set of circumstances. Still, anyone who gets Rob Pelinka's knock on their door in the upcoming weeks will immediately gulp in response.