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Jaden Hardy #8 of the Washington Wizards controls the ball against Bronny James #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to seek the market for a big man to play behind Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney, and understandably so. Kessler played just five games last season after undergoing shoulder surgery, while Looney appeared in just 21 games for the Washington Wizards due to various injuries.
One intriguing Lakers idea doing the rounds would see the franchise land veteran big man Zeke Nnaji, who was part of the Denver Nuggets squad that won the 2023 NBA title. Although Nnaji has seen limited action in recent years, he has reliable value whenever his number is called. During the Nuggets’ playoff series loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he made solid contributions playing behind Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas, averaging 5.0 points from just 9.5 minutes per contest.
Lakers Trade Idea for Zeke Nnaji
Lakers would receive: Zeke Nnaji, 2028 second-round pick (via MIN)
Nuggets would receive: Jaden Hardy
The hypothetical trade would help the Lakers add to their vast collection of second-round picks in the form of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 2028 asset.
The Lakers would send out Jaden Hardy, who is expected to be lost in the shuffle playing behind Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Bronny James, rookie Cameron Carr and defensive ace Matisse Thybulle.
Why the Lakers Do It
Hardy showed the ability to be an excellent backup point guard during his time with the Dallas Mavericks, but he doesn’t have much to offer to the Lakers. As noted above, the Lakers have a deep guard rotation entering the new season, with the likes of Bronny and rookie Carr expected to be thrown into the fire right away. It makes perfect sense for the Lakers to swap Hardy for Nnaji, given their need for a third-string big.
It also helps that Nnaji can stretch the floor and knock down the three ball.
Why the Nuggets Do It
The Nuggets made sneaky good moves this summer to bolster their backcourt rotation behind All-Star Jamal Murray. Besides re-signing veteran Tyus Jones to a one-year deal, they acquired Lonnie Walker IV, who seems poised to shine in his NBA return. However, they could definitely use another guard like Jaden Hardy to round out their backcourt, while also freeing up their frontcourt logjam by dumping Nnaji.
With DaRon Holmes II expected to play a more key role in his third season, the Nuggets would be better off allowing Nnaji to go elsewhere and play a bigger role.
Jaden Hardy averaged a career-high 12.6 points in 23 games for the Washington Wizards last season after being traded by the Mavericks. He made an impressive 2.5 threes per game at a clip of 42%, attracting interest from the Lakers front office.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sportswriter with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit and more. More about Sai Mohan