Lakers Rumors: Efforts To Acquire Hield From Kings Bared By Scribe Before Deadline

One name that the Los Angeles Lakers could have landed was Buddy Hield when he was still with the Sacramento Kings. All that was shunned after the purple and gold opted to take in Russell Westbrook instead.

But as most know, the Westbrook coming did not reap dividends. The Lakers are struggling to make it to the playoffs and the 2017 NBA MVP has hardly been of help.

However, there is also no assurance that Hield would have made a difference. With the Kings, he has been inconsistent and would have drawn the same flak that Westbrook has been getting right now.

Regardless, it appears the Lakers made an effort to try and get Hield from the Kings before the 29-year-old was officially shipped to the Pacers alongside Kings’ teammates Tyrese Haliburton and Tristan Thompson.

According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, there was covert interest from the Lakers in a deal involving Westbrook and Hield with the Kings. But obviously, nothing transpired.

There was also another window of opportunity for the Lakers when the Pacers said they were open to trading Hield to takers. But with the NBA trade deadline now lapsing, any deal involving the 6-foot-4 guard will have to wait until the offseason.

As for the Lakers, the remainder of the 2021-22 NBA season is not looking bright. They did not pull off trades and it appears that they will have to live and die with Westbrook and the injured players on the roster.

Things could change in the offseason with Westbrook holding a player option. At the rate things are going, it seems almost improbably seeing the 33-year-old back after his forgettable showing this NBA season.

Also, the Lakers turning things around will depend on whether they can come up with a string of wins and miraculously make it to the NBA playoffs, not to mention winning it all.

As pointed out by Filipino NBA journalist Henry Liao and Aldrin Magnaye on Sports Bytes PH on Feb. 11, the only team ever to rack up a string of wins to make it to the NBA playoffs was the 2007-2008 Houston Rockets team backstopped by Dikembe Mutombo, Tracy McGrady, Rafer Alston, Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier and then-rookie Kyle Lowry.

Yao Ming was part of that squad but was forced into the sidelines due to a broken foot.

It was the fourth-longest streak in NBA history, enough to make the playoffs. Unfortunately, Houston was eliminated in the first round by their archrival Utah Jazz.