Lakers get brutal Kel'el trade news after blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo Heat deal
· Yahoo Sports
Lakers get brutal Kel'el trade news after blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo Heat deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Visit esporist.org for more information.
Trade rumors involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Kel’el Ware began to intensify over the weekend, with there being a belief that the 17-time NBA champions could sneak their way into a blockbuster multi-team Giannis Antetokounmpo deal that would ship Ware to Los Angeles.
That’s far from what happened on Monday, when the Lakers learned that Ware would be taking his talents to the Milwaukee Bucks in a two-team deal sending Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.
Although the trade could later feature another team or two (giving the Los Angeles a chance to land Ware in a re-routing situation), The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer recently reported that it’s unlikely the Bucks will move on from their newly-acquired center this summer.
“Sources say the Bucks, at this point, plan to keep Kel'el Ware, despite interest from rival teams like the Lakers,” Fischer wrote on X/Twitter Tuesday.
"Milwaukee coveted Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis in their recent drafts. The Bucks also value Tyler Herro, sources say, and don't necessarily plan to move him, while Milwaukee will field offers for the All-Star scorer."
"Considering that many have urged the Lakers to get younger and add fresher legs to their roster, it’s easy to comprehend why adding Ware would have been a logical move for the franchise."
Ware, who turned 22 in April, is an evolving 7-foot big man who fits Luka Doncic’s timeline perfectly. The Indiana product runs the floor fluidly, has shown promise as a low-post finisher, added a perimeter shooting element to his game this past season, and is already a solid rim protector in the big leagues.
Ware averaged 11.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game this season, shooting 53.0% from the field in 77 games. According to Fischer’s report, it doesn’t seem like it’s meant to be at this time.
More NBA news: