Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak has finally seen enough. The Lakers have finally accepted that things need to change. And fast.
Kupchak has contacted the Minnesota Timberwolves to see about Dante Cunningham‘s availability.
Jordan Hill will require hip surgery and is scheduled to be out for the remainder of the season. While, Pau Gasol seems to have earned a new position as the Lakers sixth man. Cunningham is a 6-foot-8, 25-year-old power forward and is the much needed addition to the Lakers roster to fill the gap Hill and Gasol have left.
Cunningham has only started in seven games for the Timberwolves this season so there is a pretty good chance that even with the Timberwolves ever-growing number of injuries, he will be available to the Lakers.
Even if the Timberwolves don’t want to part with Cunningham, Kupchak has smoothly negotiated much more difficult trade situations.
Cunningham is a good rebounder, averaging 5.5 rebounds per game while only playing 22.4 minutes. However, the most appealing part about him is that he’s the young forward the Lakers need coming off the bench. Cunningham can even start when the Lakers need size and energy against young and athletic teams.
Cunningham plays with energy and he can run. He provides depth to the Lakers bench just as Earl Clark and Hill have. Although, Cunningham averages only 7.0 points per game in 22.4 minutes he averages, he can be the defense first forward the Lakers desperately need.
Who and/or what exactly the Lakers are planning to trade to the Timberwolves is unclear. The Timberwolves have Kevin Love so they probably aren’t interested in Gasol.
The Lakers don’t have any first round draft picks until the end of the century due to the Dwight Howard and Steve Nash trades so those are out of the question as well.
