NBA Rumors: Jerry West Laughed At Lakers For Trading Ivica Zubac To Clippers
Jerry West, Doc Rivers, Lakers, Clippers
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

In search of three-point shooting, the Los Angeles Lakers traded Ivica Zubac to the Los Angeles Clippers for Mike Muscala at the 2018-19 NBA trade deadline.

As Zubac has helped the Clippers earn a playoff spot, the Lakers will miss it for the sixth consecutive season with Muscala only shooting 20.8% from that range.

With just six games remaining in the 2018-19 NBA season, the Zubac-Muscala trade continues to get worse for president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka.

Jerry West, who is the Clippers executive board member now, reportedly could not believe the Lakers made that trade offer, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:

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.

Instead of simply waiving Michael Beasley, the Lakers included Zubac to create a roster spot. While the Lakers were looking to improve their roster through the buyout market on March 1, DeAndre Jordan, Enes Kanter, and Wayne Ellington either stayed with their teams or signed elsewhere.

For Johnson and Pelinka, the hope is they have learned and will surround LeBron James and the young core with three-point shooters through the 2019 NBA Draft and free agency. Instead of trading a 22-year-old center with potential for a poor stretch-five, the Lakers are in no position to make backward moves.

You May Also Like

Lakers Rumors: L.A. To Target Nets’ DeAndre Jordan If Bought Out?

The Los Angeles Lakers still have a couple of roster spots open and even when the season begins, the franchise is expected…

NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls To Match ‘Any Max Offer’ For Jimmy Butler

One of the top-tier restricted free agents this summer is having a…

Lakers Rumors: Team Willing To Trade Draft Pick For Kevin Love?

[new_royalslider id=”196″] With the Lakers looking to rebuild and Kevin Love becoming…

NBA Rumors: More Players Now Allowed In Practice Facilities; Will Increase To 8 On July 1

The NBA is in the early stages of their restart plan that will see all games played at Walt Disney World in Orlando…