Lakers Trade Rumors: Recap and Analysis of Potential Moves

The 2011-12 NBA season has been one of opportunities squandered and scuttled for the Los Angeles Lakers, both on and off the court. Kobe Bryant and the Twin Towerettes have looked equal parts champs at home (where they're 18-2) and chumps on the road (where they're 7-14) while slowly but surely feeling their way through Mike Brown's newly installed system.

Truth be told, though, the real LA Story has been the one playing out in the front office. GM Mitch Kupchak has emerged as something of a man on an island after most of his staff was let go during the lockout, thereby leaving Jim Buss and his cronies (i.e. the infamous "Chaz") to run the asylum into the ground.

Of course, none of this would much matter to fans of the Purple and Gold if not for the elephant that now dress across the hall at the Staples Center, that being the original Chris Paul trade on which commissioner David Stern put the kibosh on the eve of the new collective bargaining agreement.

The organization's mishandling of the whole situation since—from trading Lamar Odom for peanuts to dangling Pau Gasol without any line of communication between player and management whatsoever—has only served to exacerbate the damage done rather than control it.

In any case, the Lakers will toe the March 15th trade deadline with series of well-defined holes to fill, namely at point guard, small forward and bench scoring (if that may be called a position).

With an eye toward an uncertain future, let's have a glance back at the recent past and what the Lakers' rumored machinations may portend for Thursday's 11th-hour scramble.

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UPDATE: Lakers Trade Derek Fisher, 1st Rounder to Rockets for Jordan Hill

UPDATE 3/15: Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports is reporting the Lakers have traded Derek Fisher and Dallas' 1st round Draft pick to the Rockets for F Jordan Hill.

Now that the Lakers have their point guard in Ramon Sessions, Derek Fisher was expendable. The Lakers are getting a super athletic forward in Jordan Hill that can really help the Lakers bench.

A First-Round Pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ramon Sessions

UPDATE 3/15: Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal is reporting the Lakers traded their 2012 first round Draft pick and Luke Walton to the Cavaliers for PG Ramon Sessions and SF Christian Eyenga.Jason Kapono has also been included in the deal.

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It's also possible that the Lakers' front office, well aware of their lack of assets and flexibility under the cap, would rather use their much-discussed exception to upgrade at the point.

No surprise, considering LA's current conundrum up top, with an aging Derek Fisher and a streaky Steve Blake, and the team's pursuit of Ramon Sessions. The backup point for the Cleveland Cavaliers has drawn interest from the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves (his old team) as well.

The Cavs likely wouldn't mind parting with Sessions now that Kyrie Irving has emerged as a star, nor would the Lakers be loathe to bring on a player who'll be owed just over $4.5 million next season before he hits free agency.

Whether Sessions would be such a perfect fit in Mike Brown's system remains to be seen, though giving up a late first-rounder to acquire a 25-year-old to play the point wouldn't exactly be a bad idea for the Purple and Gold.

Pau Gasol to the Boston Celtics for Rajon Rondo

Some trade rumors are all too similar to hold habits—they die hard, if they die at all.

The same could be said of the incessant chatter surrounding a Pau Gasol-for-Rajon Rondo swap with the Boston Celtics, which reached yet another crescendo when, according to The Los Angeles Times, the Lakers and the C's discussed the possibility last week.

Those talks didn't go very far, though, as the Lakers remained reluctant to relinquish "big for small" by surrendering a cerebral, skilled and well-liked leader like Gasol for a mid-20's All-Star point guard who seems to be equal parts heady and head case.

Not that a deal for Rondo wouldn't be beneficial for LA. The kid might not be much of a shooter, but he's still top-five in the league at his position—the same position that's of glaring need for the Lakers—and comes equipped with a championship pedigree, along with a stellar defensive resume.

Oh, and there's the whole bit about Rondo's deal ($36 million combined over the next three seasons) being both cheaper than Gasol's and downright thrifty for what he brings to the table.  

Trouble is, the Lakers would be loathe to move a seven-footer like Gasol without getting at least some size in return. Boston could include Jermaine O'Neal's expiring in such a deal, though his presence would likely only give some dude named "DNP" a bigger role on the team from here on out.  

Pau Gasol to the Houston Rockets for Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports and Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, the Lakers and the Houston Rockets have kept in touch concerning Gasol's availability in recent weeks. Rockets GM Daryl Morey has long had eyes for the lanky Spaniard, chasing after him like the one that got away after nearly nailing him down in the nixed Chris Paul trade.

The go-to scenario for the Lakers would appear to have Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola headed to LA, the former filling the void at point and the latter standing in as a poor man's Gasol up front.

What's the problem then, you ask? Well, for one, the Rockets aren't all that keen to relinquish a 25-year-old borderline All-Star like Lowry, who's currently recovering from a bacterial infection. Chances are, they'd be more inclined to include Goran Dragic and perennial trade chip Kevin Martin alongside Scola.

The Lakers wouldn't likely be satisfied with a borderline starter at the point in exchange for a player who's been the second option on two championship squads and, as a result, who they hold in much higher esteem that just about any other team.

In any case, don't expect LA to launch Gasol to Houston unless Lowry is involved.

Andrew Bynum to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard

DISCLAIMER: This deal IS NOT going to happen. Definitely, definitely NOT.

The Magic seem to be much more interested in making a run with Dwight Howard now and taking their chances with him in the summer than in dealing him now for picks and players.

Likewise, the Lakers don't appear all that keen to part with Andrew Bynum, seeing as how Jim Buss' pet project is finally enjoying a healthy season (knock on wood!) and has solidified his status as easily the second-best center in the NBA today.

Still, if you were in Mitch Kupchak's shoes and you had the opportunity to swap Bynum for Howard straight up, or even (say) Bynum and Gasol for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu/Jameer Nelson/whatever other bad contract of which Magic GM Otis Smith wants to rid himself, you'd pretty much have to pull the trigger, wouldn't you? It's not every day that you have the opportunity to acquire the best big man in basketball.

Of course, the whole business about Dwight wanting to be the face of a franchise and not wanting to wait his turn behind Kobe (and Gasol) would seem to be enough to keep LA out of the running as it is.

So, again, don't count on Superman suddenly warming to the idea of playing Robin to the Black Mamba and following in Shaq's footsteps all in one fell swoop. 

A First-Round Pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Michael Beasley

Now, as for deals that are actually feasible for the Lakers, there's still some sense that the team may have forfeited a golden opportunity to upgrade the roster in favor of financials when the front office passed up a trade that would've brought Michael Beasley to LA in exchange for a first-round pick.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have little need for Beasley, thanks to the emergence of Derrick Williams and the likes of Wesley Johnson and Anthony Randolph elsewhere on the roster.

The Lakers could certainly use a young scorer of Beasley's talents to plug in at small forward, where Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes have combined for only occasionally passable productivity.

Word is, though, that management has little interest in actually absorbing any salary into the trade exception they received from Dallas in the Lamar Odom deal, even though Beasley could very well be gone as a restricted free agent this summer.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, they may not have the opportunity to revisit talks for Beasley now that the T'Wolves are themselves in search of help, in light of Ricky Rubio's torn ACL.

Then again, does LA really need another human thermometer on a team that's already chock-full of 'em?

Steve Blake to the Portland Trail Blazers for Raymond Felton

Could two teams' trash turn into each other's treasure?

The Lakers and the Trail Blazers may soon find out.

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reported on Monday that the two teams have discussed swapping Steve Blake and Raymond Felton. Both have been relative busts with their respective squads, with Blake struggling to find his proper place in LA amidst injuries since arriving last season and Felton showing up in PDX having packed on more than a few extra points during the lockout-extended offseason.

Blake could return to form in Portland, where he has a home and with whom he spent three-and-a-half seasons earlier in his career. The Blazers would likely count on Blake to bring a sense of calm to what has been a turbulent season in Oregon.

As for Felton...well, maybe he'll get in shape? Maybe he'll play like he did when he was a member of the New York Knicks last season? Maybe he'll realize that, at 27, he should just now be entering his prime, not leaving it?

Who knows? Perhaps the Lakers do...