Former Lakers Rival Thinks LA Should Make Blockbuster Trade For Future Hall Of Famer

This is going to be controversial.

Kendrick Perkins, who best your Kobe Bryant-led Los Angeles Lakers en route to the 2008 NBA championship while jumping center for the Boston Celtics, had some trade recommendations for LA. 

Perkins now works for ESPN as an on-air commentator, being featured on shows like NBA Today, Get Up, First Take, and SportsCenter. On NBA Today, here's what he suggested the Lakers do:

"If I'm the Lakers, I might be looking to trade for James Harden... [it] makes the most sense for Anthony Davis. If you want to get him good easy looks like James did for Joel Embiid last season, how about trading for him?"

- @KendrickPerkins 👀pic.twitter.com/1qVkUpJ6aQ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 27, 2023

The Lakers pushing for James Harden would be definitely controversial, as questions abound about fit, the asking price, and most importantly, his long-term future with the team. 

Regarding fit, Harden is a ball-dominant guard who has been asked to do little to nothing off the ball since arriving in Houston back in 2012. He's been among the league leaders in usage rate, and has operated as his team's primary ball-handler throughout his tenures with the Rockets, Nets, and most recently, 76ers. 

Given that the Lakers already have LeBron James and Austin Reaves, both of whom operate well with the ball in their hands, it's not that Harden would necessarily be less effective than those two, but it does feel unlikely that LeBron and Reaves would be optimally utilized with Harden in the picture. 

That said, Anthony Davis would benefit greatly. As Perkins explains, Harden's pick-and-roll prowess paired with his playmaking ability greatly benefits any big man he plays with, dating back to Clint Capela in Houston. 

Davis' shot creation skills have tapered off over the past couple of seasons, as we've seen less and less of that element of his game from his New Orleans days, which involved him creating far more from the 3-point line, from the elbow, and in transition. 

The asking price is arguably a bigger issue than fit, as because Harden was an All-NBA player last season, there's no doubt that he still warrants a reasonable return package. That said, his age, along with the uncertainty about his contract and history of erratic behavior limits the confidence the Lakers would have in giving up much. 

A potential package for Harden would have to include D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura (to make the salary work), along with a combination of high-upside assets, like draft picks, Jalen Hood-Schifino, or Max Christie. 

His contract extension is arguably the biggest red flag in this deal, as part of his issue with Philadelphia currently is their refusal to give him an extension, as he enters the final year of his contract. Interestingly, he had a player option this past offseason, leaving him with a choice of potentially entering the free agency market a few months ago. 

Harden rejected that idea, instead picking up his player option and expecting an extension from Philadelphia. If dealt to the Lakers, it's safe to expect him asking for a longer-term deal from Pelinka and co., which would probably spark a ton of turmoil.

This might not be the best idea. 

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