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Lakers News: Is Kendrick Nunn Done?

NBA Twitter sure thinks so.

Alex Kirschenbaum

In this story:

When your Los Angeles Lakers inked free agent Kendrick Nunn to a two-year, $10.3 million mid-level exception contract in the summer of 2021, many voices across the NBA media thought the deal was actually a fairly savvy move: L.A. would be getting a reserve guard who could provide instant offense in the regular season, and help pick up some of the scoring burden for Lakers stars LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook.

Then, he injured his knee. 

Since returning from a yearlong absence, Nunn has been absolutely abysmal for L.A., becoming a "break glass in case of emergency"/human victory cigar type of deep-bench reserve in head coach Darvin Ham's rotation.

Lakers fans in particular and NBA appreciators more broadly both have come to realize exactly what Kendrick Nunn's arrival in a game means, as you'll see below form their reactions to last night's bummer of a 116-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with Anthony Davis only available for the contest's first 8:07.

Nunn, if you'll recall, was a 36.4% three-point shooter on a high-volume 5.8 attempts a night during his first two NBA seasons, while with the Miami Heat. This year, he can't even shoot 36.4% from the field overall (he's currently making 34.5% of his field goals), let alone from deep (27.1% on 3.0 attempts). Injuries to various L.A. guards have necessitated Nunn take on more of a role, but outside of a handful of efficient games, he has been tentative and unsure on offense, while giving the Lakers nothing on the other end.

Show us the lie in that Rob Perez note. We'll wait.

So that's Nunn's output for the Cavaliers game. L.A. would absolutely love to ditch his $5.3 million expiring salary this season for an actual contributor, but may need to attach at least some kind of draft pick (perhaps a second-rounder) to do that.

Patrick Beverley's expiring $13.1 million deal could perhaps be packaged with Nunn's in a trade for a decent, non-All-Star starter on another club, but the team taking back those contracts would want future pick(s).

Juan Toscano-Anderson is at least a 6'6" wing who provides energy and effort and athleticism on both ends of the floor, unlike this post-injury iteration of Nunn, who gives you nothing and is just one of L.A.'s many, many tiny past-their-prime guards that Darvin Ham likes to play in tandem.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Basketball is Alex's favorite sport, he likes the way they dribble up and down the court.

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