Slumping Lakers Urged to Trade for $63 Million Star Duo: ‘They Could Do Worse’

As the Los Angeles Lakers unraveled during a disastrous 1-4 road trip following a perfect 3-0 start at home, shaking up the roster could be the only way to inject new energy into their lethargic play.

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley urged the Lakers to look into trading for the rejuvenated Chicago Bulls stars Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic , who are on the trade block.

With Davis (heel) and Rui Hachimura (illness) missing the game, no one outside James, who led the team with 39 points, seven rebounds and six assists, stepped up for the shorthanded Lakers.

"It goes back to choices," Redick told reporters earlier in his postgame presser. "It's something we've discussed as a group and you have a choice every night for how you play, it has nothing to do with making shots."

The Lakers have the third-worst defensive rating (118.8) in the league after the loss.

"There's got to be a group of people, seven to eight guys, that make that choice and we're a really good basketball team," Redick continued. "We got a handful, two or three, we're not going to be a good basketball team that night, that's just the reality."

"That's my biggest takeaway, to be honest."

D'Angelo Russell's Rapid Fall

While LaVine and Vucevic are restocking their trade value, the same cannot be said for Lakers' starting point guard D'Angelo Russell .

Redick benched Russell in the final 18 minutes of the Lakers' loss to the Grizzlies after a listless 12-point on 4-of-12 shooting performance.

Russell has struggled under Redick's system. The veteran point guard is averaging only 12.0 points on 37.5% overall shooting and 29.5% from the 3-point line through the Lakers' first eight games.

When asked about the benching postgame, Redick had a meaningful remark on Russell's status.

"Just level of compete, attention to detail, some of the things we've talked with him about for a couple of weeks," Redick told reporters about Russell's fourth-quarter benching. "And at times, he's been really good with that stuff, and other times, it's just reverting back to certain habits. It wasn't like a punishment. I just felt like for us to have a chance to win this game, that was the route we wanted to take."

The Lakers could use Russell's expiring $18.6 million salary in any potential deal leading to the February trade deadline.