Bitter-sweet news for the Lakers Nation! The LakeShow might finally get the ammunition required to complete their mission. But at what cost? A few days ago, Lakers Insider Jovan Buha reported that Rob Pelinka & Co. has set their eyes on the Brooklyn Nets‘ Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. It’s important to note that it wasn’t just the Lakers who were chasing the Nets’ enticing assets. However, the LA side seemed to have an upper hand with the latest update.

Firstly, Cam Johnson is one of the most sought-after assets in the trade market now. And he has all the skill set to satisfy the Lakers’ desperate needs. Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt take care of the wing duties. The drawback is that they are good at only either of the ends. The team needs an asset that can support AD and Bron on both ends of the court. Johnson, who is amidst a career-high run, can do that. Moreover, Finney-Smith’s lockdown defense and catch-and-shoot ability are a bonus.

Notably, the Nets are aware of Cam Johnson’s ability to impact any franchise’s championship ambitions and have the upper hand in this business. They can demand the price. However, the Lakers seemed to be prepared for it too. According to NBA Insider Evan Sidery, Rob Pelinka & Co. are “willing” to trade their first-round picks to acquire Johnson and DFS.

Historically, the Lakers have shown reluctance in trading their first-round picks for many reasons. One of them could be that LeBron James is nearing the end of his career, so the team might need assets to rebuild the team. Currently, the team has one first-round pick for each year till 2030.

Moreover, Sidery gave shocking additional information saying that Vanderbilt, Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell‘s contract values matched in order to rope in the Nets duo. So, we might not see the three players in the Lakers uniform in the long run.

Are the Lakers making a costly mistake with Cam Johnson?

Undoubtedly, Cam Johnson is one of the hottest assets. Including him in the roster will instantly solidify the team’s championship ambitions. Johnson will immediately make an impact on the front court with his 6 ‘9 tall stature and also on the backcourt with his 42% shooting from the arc. However, he still has a set of drawbacks.

The injury woes.

So far, he has missed only one game this season. If he continued to do that with the Lakers, then this problem is out of the question. However, in the last two seasons, he barely managed to play half of the season. In the previous season, he played 58 games, and before that 42 games.

Most importantly, he has played 60+ games only twice in his career. So, the Lakers front office might have to think twice before spending a lot on this one asset. Moreover, he also has a $4.5 worth unlikely bonus awaiting this season. So, what do you think? Let us know in the comments.