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22 Year Old NBA Star, Who Beat Michael Jordan’s Freshman Record in College, Reportedly Sparks Interest From LeBron James’ Lakers

Published 06/30/2022, 8:00 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

Rumor mills have been swirling around the Chicago Bulls’ Coby White since the news that Russell Westbrook is not leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. According to Dan Woike, team executives think that Coby White might be a target for Los Angeles as they are trading for players.

It would be interesting for Lakers’ Talen Horton-Tucker also, as he will be included in the trade bundle. They are both players in the same age range.

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Horton Tucker averaged around 10.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game last season. He only scored 26.9 percent of his shots from outside the arc and shot 41.6% from the field. Coby White would likely be a step up as he averaged 12.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game last season.

He had a field goal percentage of 43.3 percent and shot 38.5 percent from beyond the three-point line for the Chicago Bulls. White surpassed Bulls legend Michael Jordan on the all-time freshman scoring list for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels in 2019 after scoring 462 points, passing Jordan’s previous record of 420.

The Lakers have mostly stayed silent during this off-season. They are limited in their ability to make significant acquisitions as LeBron James, Westbrook, and Anthony Davis have used up the majority of their cap space.

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Lakers guard Russell Westbrook has recently elected to activate his $47.1 million option to stay with the team for the 2022–23 campaign. There were rumors of the Los Angeles Lakers trying to get him off but ultimately, Westbrook is staying in the City of Angels.

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Westbrook averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.1 assists for the Lakers last season. They finished with a poor record of 33-49 and missed the playoffs due to injuries.

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The Lakers tried to trade Westbrook before Kyrie Irving decided to sign a contract with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. They were unsuccessful, however. But there is some hope within the organization that Westbrook will improve with a new coach and a new scheme. It will be simpler to relocate him as the season progresses if he does not do well due to how these contracts are.

The Lakers have dipped into free agency and the Coby White rumors point in that direction. It will be interesting to see what direction the Lakers go this season.

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WATCH THIS STORY: How Old Was Shaquille O’Neal When He Retired?

Will it be new dawn or a false one? Fans will eagerly hope for the former. Rivals will certainly hope for the latter. The off-season business is key to what is to come next season.

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Written by:

Aditya Kar

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Aditya Kar is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. A holder of Bachelors and Masters degrees in History, he has been a fan of the NBA since 2011. He has a very keen interest in the stories that define the league and the sport.
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Edited by:

Veer Badani