The Los Angeles Lakers seem not finished yet in adding talent to their roster as they could set their sight on small forward Gerald Green of the Phoenix Suns before February's trade deadline.
After acquiring Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer and Ed Davis with a myriad of offseason transaction, the Lakers are likely to make another move before the trade window expires after All-Star break.
According to NBA analysts, the Lakers' next move could be to add a much-needed firepower at wing position, especially if they see themselves as a playoff contender at that point of the season.
Wesley Johnson is the only natural small forward on the Lakers roster and he's expected to secure a starting role under Byron Scott. There are also possibilities Kobe Bryant will play the wing position in some situations.
The Lakers attempted to address this issue by auditioning former no.2 overall pick Michael Beasley twice this offseason. Although the former Kansas State standout had solid workouts, the Lakers apparently are not willing to shell out a lucrative check for a player with checkered past and questionable dedication.
There are also reports that Alonso Gee, who played for Scott during their time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, is another candidate to fill in the void at small forward. Gee had the best time of his career under Scott's tutelage, averaging at least 8 points and 4 rebounds per game.
However, there's a better option for the Lakers other than Beasley and Gee, and that's a trade for Green, who made a huge leap with the Phoenix Suns last season.
Alec Nathan of Bleacher indicated Green as one of the players likely to be traded this season. The 28-year old Green averaged 15.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while shooting career-high 40 percent from beyond the arc.
Despite this improvement statistically, Green may not be a part of the Suns' future following the team's acquisition of TJ Warren and re-signing PJ Tucker to a three-year, $16.5 million contract.
"With Tucker and Warren possessing a nice combination of shooting, raw scoring ability and perimeter defense, Green could be expendable once the season gets underway," Nathan stressed.
One proposition circulating is a trade that would send Green to the Lakers in exchange for Jordan Hill and a second-round pick. The Suns are in need to beef up their roster after losing Channing Frye to free-agency. Hill averaged at least 9 points and 9 boards per game last year, and could be a solid backup at the power forward and center spot. Green, on the other hand, would be an awesome addition to the Lakers' team direly needing a swingman that can score the ball well.
