After LeBron got hurt in December, the Los Angeles Lakers have been a proverbial dumpster fire, which has them well under .500 and eliminated from playoff contention.
To top that off, one of the most mind-boggling trades before the deadline had to be when the Lakers decided to send Ivica Zubac and Michael Beasley to the Los Angeles Clippers for Mike Muscala.
The Lakers didn’t add another veteran player via a buyout, however, they did manage to destroy the rest of the roster with rumors of a trade to acquire Anthony Davis.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com, Clippers consultant Jerry West had a laugh at the Lakers’ expense after acquiring the young and intriguing Zubac for basically nothing at all:
“Shortly after the trade deadline, Clippers consultant Jerry West—who spent more than 40 years with the Lakers as a player, coach and executive—got together for dinner with old friends who also had former Laker ties, sources said. He couldn’t believe how Zubac fell into his lap. The Clippers, sources said, never even called the Lakers to inquire about Zubac. The Lakers made the offer and the Clippers gladly accepted.
“Sources said those at the dinner table shared a hearty laugh at the Lakers’ expense.”
Zubac saw limited playing time with the Lakers, but in an expanded role with the Clippers, he is flourishing as he’s averaging 9.0 points and 7.8 rebounds in 19.8 minutes per game.
Both teams have went two different dirrections since that trade, with the Clippers having a record of 19-5, and the Lakers recording a dismal 6-18.
