We are well and truly into the final month of the trade market, and this is exactly when things could heat up. Apart from Trae Young’s move, there has been nothing going on in the market. As we get close to the trade deadline, there could be some movement. However, that doesn’t stop the rumblings on social media. A recent report by NBA Insider Matt Moore on his Substack suggested that the superstar player agency Klutch Sports could play a big role in helping a player join the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers desperately need defensive reinforcements, as LeBron James is already 41 and Luka Doncic is taking the team forward. They need a defensive wing to improve their chances of making a Championship run this season. “I never know what to make of it when I hear that a Klutch guy wants out because they always seem to want out… until Klutch no longer represents them. But league sources have said the super agency has expressed interest in a Klutch-for-Klutch swap of Deandre Hunter for Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent to the Lakers or to Charlotte for Miles Bridges,” Moore wrote on his Substack.

Moore issues a major correction on Hunter’s representation, admitting he “screwed up in spectacular manner” by mistakenly linking Hunter to Klutch Sports—a fact he could have verified in seconds but overlooked.

Among LA’s current wings, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves stand out for their defensive shortcomings, which contribute to the team’s poor overall defensive rating, currently around 24th in the league.

Hachimura lacks the elite athleticism and lateral quickness needed to contain perimeter players or switch effectively across positions, often getting exploited in pick-and-roll situations.

Reaves struggles with point-of-attack defense, failing to contain quicker guards and allowing easy drives into the paint. Coach JJ Redick has highlighted issues like “containing the basketball,” where Reaves’ slower foot speed leads to blown assignments and open threes for opponents.

Hunter brings All-Defensive caliber tools with a 117.6 DRTG, excelling in on-ball denial against wings and guards while using his 6’8″ frame for rebounding and help rotations—directly addressing Hachimura’s lack of lateral quickness.

Swapping him for Hachimura would enable JJ Redick to hide Reaves from weaker shooters, with Hunter guarding top threats like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, improving lineups by ~2-3 points per 100 possessions based on his career metrics.

Miles Bridges posts a 118 DRTG with elite athleticism for chase-down blocks and switches across three positions, countering Reaves’ point-of-attack weaknesses and Hachimura’s pick-and-roll lapses through his 7.9 RPG and 1.2 SPG averages.

His two-way scoring (20+ PPG) adds offensive pop without defensive sacrifice, potentially lifting Lakers’ net rating in small-ball lineups with LeBron James.

Klutch Sports and their CEO, Rich Paul, have been a big ally for the Lakers, as he is also LeBron’s agent. So he often tends to pitch players from his agency to strengthen the Lakers.

However, in the past, Paul has debunked the conspiracy theory that Klutch Sports runs the Lakers. Earlier, Anthony Davis, a Klutch Sports athlete, moved to the Lakers and helped them win the Championship.

He could be plotting another such move for the Purple and Gold, as his star athlete, Lebron James, desperately needs some help to elevate the team into a title contender. So a move for either Hunter or Bridges makes sense for the Lakers.

Understanding how Deandre Hunter or Miles Bridges will fit in this Lakers roster

The Los Angeles Lakers need defensive recruits, and both Deandre Hunter and Miles Bridges offer different qualities to this roster. Firstly, Deandre Hunter‘s situation is slightly more complicated. He is in his third year of a four-year contract worth $90 million, but he is going through a rough season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He is averaging 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 42.5% from the field and just 30.3% from beyond the arc.

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He has been restricted to a rotational role since mid-December, and things have not gone as planned for the 28-year-old since getting traded to the Cavaliers from the Hawks. He is surely a movable piece for the Cavs if they prefer flexibility.

For the Lakers, he is a defense-first wing who is capable of playing in multiple positions and doesn’t require the ball often. The primary concern around this deal is that the Lakers would be reluctant to pay a hefty $23 million salary for a player who would be a low-efficiency scorer operating on tight margins.

The Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges looks like a better fit for the Lakers. He is averaging 19.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, shooting 44.3% overall and 33.3% from beyond the arc. Bridges is in his second year of a three-year contract worth $75 million, and his shorter contract aligns better with the Lakers.

Bridges offers more in the offense and will significantly improve their scoring in the transitions, something that the Lakers need. Apart from his shooting, he is a good rebounder, shot blocker, and brings the hustle in defense that JJ Redick’s team lacks.

While Bridges looks like the ideal fit, there’s a complication for this trade to go through. The Hornets are rebuilding, and they are not bound to move him cheaply.

They may ask the Lakers to send out rotational players and also draft capital, which is something that the Purple and Gold have been extremely reluctant to do. But they have to sacrifice something to get somewhere.

There’s generally no smoke without fire, and with Klutch involved, there could be a probable chance of one of the two mentioned players moving to Los Angeles.