NBA Rumors: Lakers' Pursuit Of Back-Up Kings Guard May Still Happen By Deadline

Before Russell Westbrook was officially signed by the Los Angeles Lakers, Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings was said to be on the radar of the Hollywood-based franchise.

According to sources cited by Chris Haynes via his Posted Up podcast, the initial deal was turned down with Sacramento feeling that the Lakers could pitch a better offer.

There is a possibility that this could crop up again before the February 10 NBA trade deadline.

Hield has long been seen as a good fit for the Lakers because he carries the outside shooting that Los Angeles needs.

But instead of the 29-year-old cager, the Laker settled with Westbrook.

As most know by now, that move has hardly reaped dividends for the Lakers and has also limited their ability to take in added pieces.

But that was until word got out that the Lakers are once again open to trading Talen Horton-Tucker, this time allegedly packaging him with Kendrick Nunn and a future pick.

This is the same package that the Lakers had allegedly offered to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Jerami Grant, Marc Stein reported.

The offer was thumbed down by the Motor City squad, but the Lakers are reportedly still offering that package to other teams.

With an improved offer involving Horton-Tucker, it has yet to be known if the Kings will bite.

There is a bit of skepticism on the part of Nunn, who has yet to play a single NBA regular-season game thus far.

As for Hield, the sixth overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, he has not exactly had a good 2021-22 season, averaging 14.9 points per game while shooting just 38.6% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc, the Bleacher Report pointed out.

But as things stand now, the Lakers may want to gauge if it would be worth giving up Horton-Tucker and taking a chance on Hield.

Horton-Tucker is averaging 10.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He is also shooting 40.7% from the field but a woeful 24.8% percent from the three-point region.

Pundits feel that the Lakers need more outside shooting to complement LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. Hield could be a sensible addition, but there will be risks.