Lou Williams looks more and more out of place on the Los Angeles Lakers by the day. He’s on the wrong side of 30, he takes touches away from the kiddies by default, and while he hasn’t hurt their tank, his absurd offensive output doesn’t do their top-three protected first-round pick (owed to the Philadelphia 76ers) any favors.
Predictably, the expectation is that the Lakers will move Williams before the Feb. 23 trade deadline. But he’s not going to come cheap, per ESPN.com’s Ian Begley:
Some members of the Utah Jazz front office have expressed interest recently in Lakers guard Lou Williams, ESPN sources say. Many around the league believe Williams is likely to be dealt before Thursday’s trade deadline. Some teams who have talked to the Lakers about Williams believe Los Angeles is seeking a first-round pick in any Williams swap.
First-round compensation is a lot for a second-stringer who won’t come close to matching his production on a contending team. At the same time, Williams’ salary has to come into play. He is making $7 million this season and next season—a categorical steal in the new salary-cap climate. That helps drum up his value, particularly with the cap set to spike once again this summer. Players who replicate his skill set will, in all likelihood, command twice as much.
Championship hopefuls with gaping holes on the bench (sup, Washington Wizards) or fringe-playoff squads in need of an offensive boost (holla back, Charlotte Hornets) can justify forking over a lottery-protected selection for Williams. And the chances are somebody somewhere will.
It’s only a matter of who.
