from Rob Goldberg of B/R:
The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly involved in “active talks” to acquire Dennis Schroder in exchange for the No. 28 pick of the 2020 NBAdraft, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard averaged 18.9 points and 4.0 assists per game last season, almost exclusively off the bench, and finished second in voting for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award behind Montrezl Harrell.
He could provide additional scoring depth for the Lakers as they look to defend their 2020 NBA title.
Anthony Davis is expected to re-sign with the Lakers after opting out of his contract, per Charania, keeping arguably the best one-two punch in the NBA together between Davis and LeBron James.
There are still significant questions on the roster with Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Dwight Howard, Dion Waiters and others potentially leaving in free agency. The backcourt is especially thin with Alex Caruso, Avery Bradley and Danny Green the top remaining options.
Schroder could have a significant role right away, providing balance with his perimeter scoring while taking some pressure off LeBron as a playmaker. His 38.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc will also help a team that finished 21st in the NBA in three-point percentage last season.
Meanwhile, the Thunder are seemingly intent on accumulating more assets as it continues the rebuild started last season.
Oklahoma City has only one first-round pick this year—No. 25 overall from the Denver Nuggets—but the team has a lot of future firsts from the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat after various trades.
Adding another pick from the Lakers will allow the team to keep building around the young core led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort.
