Isaiah Thomas to the Lake(ers) show

Trades in the NBA have been one of the biggest causes of controversy in the league. Shaquille O’Neal to the Miami Heat, Chris Paul to the Clippers and Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors are all examples of league and NBA teams making complete turn arounds. With the history of the NBA as proof that blockbuster trades can lead to championships, Los Angeles fans can now hope that the recent trade of Isaiah Thomas will be one of the final puzzle pieces to transform the Lakers into the promising franchise it once was. Thomas now has the potential to turn around the Lakers and will play a substantial role whether he says or not.   In perhaps one of the craziest trade deadlines to date in the NBA, Thomas has landed in LA in a blockbuster move to the Los Angeles Lakers. As the NBA has seen all sorts of twists and turns this season, it make sense that the Cleveland Cavaliers Organization, along with Lebron James, would throw things up in the air even more by trading almost half their roster. Altogether the Cavs on the trade deadline traded Thomas, Channing Frye and their own 2018 first-round pick to the Lakers for Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., George Hill and Rodney Hood.  Along with this trade, they traded Derrick Rose and Jae Crowder to the Jazz. Finally, they traded Joe Johnson, Iman Shumpert and their 2020 second-round pick to Sacramento. Dwyane Wade is back to Miami for a protected second-round pick. The NBA is taking a drastic turn, and mid-season will certainly take the storyline of 2018 to unknown places. And just like that, Thomas, two time NBA All-Star, lands a spot on the Lakers, the team of the rising stars.  Thomas’ new team has excited LA NBA fans to the max while simultaneously raising questions galore. How will Thomas shape-up with rookies Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball? Are Lakers a playoff level team if in full effect? Is Thomas only a temporary trading piece? What will the Cavaliers’ first pick lead too? No one knows yet, but time will tell as this season continues.  In an unseen turn of events after the 2017 NBA championship, Cleveland Cavaliers Point guard Kyrie Irving opted to be traded, which would lead Thomas to Cleveland, prompting the crazy exchange at the 2018 NBA trade deadline. Before Thomas was in the picture, Ball and Kuzma, two current NBA rookies, were all the talk for their organization, the Los Angeles Lakers. Now the question arises: how will the new combination shape up? Seeing that Ball plays point guard and Thomas is a guard as well, who will we see getting more minutes? Kuzma is a shooter, so as far as I see Thomas’ role is compromised. He will have to take on a more “dish it out” passer style as a point guard. The Lakers will have to make sure to start Ball and have Thomas teach the basic offensive strategies in the NBA as Ball has struggled with getting his points up, but holds up solid stats. Thomas ended last season averaging 29.2 points, which could perhaps help Ball learn how to become a more aggressive offensive player. Kuzma’s role on the team should stay secure and will hopefully just make sure Kuzma stays on track to be a force to be reckoned with. All in all Thomas shouldn't have a negative effect on the play of the Lakers.  A big question with the arrival of Thomas to the Lakers is: do they have enough star power to make the playoffs. When reviewing the roster you can see that the Lakers have the potential to make an eighth seed in the playoffs. They have a small, strong forward in Brandon Ingram who as been the Lakers’ most consistent player throughout the season. Although lacking in results as of a late, they do hold an All-Star level center in Brook Lopez. Lopez has been held back by his poor shot selection, but hopefully with the addition of Thomas, Lopez will have a load taken off his shoulders which will allow him to focus more on the paint and Thomas to shoot the threes. An aggressive and play making power forward in Julius Randle could play a major role in the Lakers success. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been a clutch player for the Lakers this season while showing that, when he’s hot, he is a force to be reckoned with. Finally, with the two point guards the Lakers now possess, the leadership on the floor from NBA veteran Thomas and young buck Ball, the Lakers could be playoff contenders. As Ball returns Feb. 23, we will soon see the full force of the Lakers roster and hopefully they can pull through in the second half of the season to clinch a playoff spot.  The Cavaliers mid-season struggles did lead people to speculate a trade of Thomas. However, no one was expecting a trade of Thomas to the Lakers due to the fact that the Lakers had placed the future of their organization on the shoulders of Ball, one of the most controversial players to date in the NBA.  Maybe the Lakers organization doesn’t plan to use Thomas’ talents, but instead trade in his value for an even better All-Star level player. Many people have been speculating the trade of Paul George to the Lakers, his hometown team. Thomas could be the trading piece the Lakers needed to get George over to the Lakers, or perhaps another All-Star level player.  One of the most underlooked aspects of the Thomas trade is that the Lakers now possess the Cavaliers 2018 pick. This could set-up the Lakers for a lasting legacy. In theory, with the Cavs draft pick the Lakers could do the following: select Mohamed Bamba, Texas University’s 7’0” center, who has easily been Texas’s most valuable player. With the arrival of the new center, the Lakers would then hold the ability to trade Lopez along with Thomas. Although both these players are seen to be in the decline of their career, their trade value could still equal that of All-Star level player. With a specific trade, the Lakers starting lineup could lead to the following; the face of the franchise in point guard Ball, a first round draft pick future All-Star small forward in Ingram, a promising center in Bamba, a key role player power forward in Randle and finally the ability to trade in for a strong shooting guard in Tyreke Evans or Jrue Holiday. An excellent starting lineup will for sure clinch a playoff seed if all meshes well.  The Los Angeles Lakers, formerly known for the greatness of Kobe Bryant, looks to expand its legacy as a NBA organization. The people and loyal fans of LA are tired of the years of oppression we have been facing these past years. We are sick of the bad coaching (*Cough* Mike D’Antoni *Cough* Mike Brown), We are over D’Angelo Russell, and we are done only having Kobe’s legacy. We want to expand on the success of our great hometown team, and just maybe Isaiah Thomas, whether he stays or not, can be the final piece we needed.