Lakers Rumors: Latest on Potential Nick Young Trade and More

For the Los Angeles Lakers, this has been a relatively low-key summer.

Although reports circulated regarding the team's interest in dealing for Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins, that brief pursuit amounted to little more than rumor-induced excitement for a hungry Purple and Gold fanbase.

However, that doesn't mean this offseason has been a total dud for the Lakers.

They added Ohio State point guard D'Angelo Russell with the second pick in the 2015 draft, while 2014 first-round pick Julius Randle is healthy and participating in summer league after fracturing his leg in last year's season opener.

They even upgraded the center position with a low-risk, high-reward trade.

"L.A. did make lemonade out of its free-agency lemons by trading a future second-round pick to the Indiana Pacers for two-time All-Star center Roy Hibbert," Bleacher Report's Bryan Toporek wrote. "Though the 7-footer has badly struggled with inconsistency over the past 18 months, he's only a season removed from finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting." 

But even though most of the moving and shaking has been taken care of, there are a few odds and ends that need to be tied up in Hollywood before the front office can rest for the remainder of the summer. 

Swaggy P Staying Put

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The Lakers addressed the small forward position by selecting Stanford's Anthony Brown at No. 34 overall in June's draft, but they haven't made any moves to solidify their depth at the 3 during free agency. 

And while Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported back on June 7 that the Lakers were looking to move Nick Young in a move to maintain financial flexibility, the Orange County Register's Bill Oram provided an update on that front: 

"He has to convince our coaching staff he can play within the system," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said, according to the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina. "That doesn’t only mean score the ball. That means defending and doing the little things, which I know he can do."

Interestingly enough, the Lakers were actually four points better per 100 defensive possessions with Young on the floor last year, according to NBA.com. However, a defensive rating of 105 is hardly anything to write home about, as it would have graded out as the league's seventh-worst mark last season.

With Wayne Ellington now residing in Brooklyn and reigning Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams on board as the Lakers' most polished volume scorer, Young will need to display improvement as a passer and defender in order to stay out of head coach Byron Scott's doghouse.

A wing-defending trio of Williams, Young and Kobe Bryant could be an absolute nightmare, but if Young shows commitment to stymying opposing ball-handlers, the Lakers could feel better about their decision to stay patient with Swaggy P.  

Lakers Still Pursuing Seraphin

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

It's slim pickings at the bottom of the free-agency barrel these days, but the Lakers are still doing their due diligence on a big man who could provide depth following the departure of Jordan Hill to the Indiana Pacers.

According to Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears, the Lakers have maintained interest in signing big man Kevin Seraphin:

However, NBC Sports' Kurt Helin noted that L.A. may have enough stability at the 5 in order to survive sans Seraphin.

"The Lakers make less sense, they have Roy Hibbert and Robert Sacre under contract, plus they are bringing in rookie Robert Upshaw and giving him a chance to make the roster," Helin wrote. "Seraphin only makes sense if they don’t think Upshaw makes the team and they plan to move Sacre."

A five-year veteran, Seraphin has solid touch around the rim and attacks the glass with excellent ferocity. Factor in his status as likely nothing more than a stopgap solution on a short-term deal, and the Lakers may be better off developing homegrown talent like Sacre and Upshaw as they attempt to begin a steady climb up the Western Conference standings.