Lakers Rumors: Latest Trade Buzz Surrounding Julius Randle

Julius Randle has been one of the Lakers' most consistent players this season, but his time with the team might be limited.

The organization remains focused on maintaining cap space for next summer, and it appears willing to do whatever is necessary to rid itself of contracts that could stand in the way of bringing in high-priced free agents.

While this means Luol Deng and the remainder of his four-year, $72 million deal will have to be dealt with, one possibility is adding Randle to a potential trade.

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus noted what it could take to complete a deal with Deng:

"'I would say a [first-round pick] with a good chance to convey in the lottery,' said an executive with another franchise. 'I would say that's in addition to Julius Randle unless the protections were very favorable to the receiving team.'"

This is similar to what the Lakers did in dealing D'Angelo Russell along with Timofey Mozgov to the Nets. Of course, while Mozgov started 52 games last year and still represents a solid defensive center, Deng's stock continues to fall with him outside the team's current rotation. He hasn't appeared in a game since the season opener.

Conversely, Randle should have value for a possible contending team thanks to his work on both ends of the court. While he also has seen limited playing time this season and is exclusively coming off the bench, he is averaging 20.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per 36 minutes so far in 15 games.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Despite the fourth-year player's obvious talents, he doesn't appear to have a future with the team. The 22-year-old will be a restricted free agent next summer, and Los Angeles has given little indication it will work to keep him on the roster.

The team's didn't work on an extension before the October deadline, because as Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com reported at the time, "everyone understands cap space issue."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski (via Jack Maloney of CBS Sports) then reported earlier this month that Randle's "future is very unlikely to continue with the Lakers." He noted the team could trade him before the deadline in order to recoup a first-round pick.

This scenario wouldn't likely bring back a first-round pick, but it could at least clear Deng off the books.

With rookie Kyle Kuzma moving ahead of Randle on the depth chart, the latter would likely welcome a move to another team. It's unclear if Randle's recent "pay me" shirt was a slight at the front office, but head coach Luke Walton admitted earlier this season that "he's a little frustrated about the starting thing," per Bill Oram of the Orange County Register.

We have a quality young player who wants a chance to show what he can do and a team who doesn't consider him part of the future or apparently even the present. Whether Deng is part of a deal or not, Randle could and probably should be traded at some point in the next couple of months.