Lakers Rumors: Examining Trade Whispers Surrounding Los Angeles
With a promising young nucleus in place and wide eyes on the 2018 NBA free-agent market, the Los Angeles Lakers could be among the Association's most aggressive sellers leading up to Thursday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Given the increasing likelihood of missing the playoffs for a franchise-record fifth straight season, L.A. could look to shed salary, acquire draft assets or, ideally, accomplish both.
General manager Rob Pelinka told Spectrum SportsNet (h/t Silver Screen and Roll's Drew Garrison) he's keeping his options open and doesn't feel forced to deal for the sake of dealing:
"We've gotta make moves to [become a contender], we know that, so we're constantly assessing that. And if there's things this trade deadline that help us take steps up the mountain on that journey, we'll absolutely do them. But if those things don't present itself, then we'll stay the course with what we have."
The abundance of trade talks surrounding this squad suggest standing pat is unlikely. Let's examine some of the chatter around the Lakers and dissect what it means for the franchise's future.
Brook Lopez a Buyout Candidate?
The feel-good story of North Hollywood Brook Lopez's homecoming has evaporated amid sagging statistics and diminishing floor time.
The one-time All-Star is averaging career-lows in multiple categories, including points (12.0), minutes (21.1) field-goal percentage (44.0) and player efficiency rating (15.5). The three ball he discovered last season hasn't been as potent this time around (32.8 percent, down from 34.6), which complicates matters when he's launching his average shot from a farther distance than ever (14.4 feet).
While this might normally make him a buy-low option for a deadline bargain-shopper, Lopez's onerous $22.6 million salary renders any potential trade almost impossible. When combined with L.A.'s refusal to take back any long-term money, it presents a puzzle even the savviest capologist couldn't solve.
But that doesn't mean Lopez is guaranteed to stick with the Lakers all season. In a recent appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager David Griffin mentioned Lopez as a potential buyout candidate:
The sentiment behind Griffin's take is a bit off. Since the Lakers no longer own their upcoming first-round pick (it'll either go to the Philadelphia 76ers or Boston Celtics), they gain nothing by losing.
But his point may still have some validity. There's no reason to believe the 29-year-old center is part of the long-term plans, so cutting him loose could prove beneficial by opening up more developmental minutes for young bigs like Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant.
Plus, the situation seems to be wearing on Lopez. It's not just that his overall minutes are tumbling down, it's also that he's rarely used in the games' deciding moments. While he's eight among the regulars in average minutes, he dips down to 10th in the fourth quarter (5.0).
"I feel like I fit in the NBA regardless of [the way NBA teams] are playing," Lopez said, per ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. "I feel like I am a valuable player. ... I am confident in my game that I can contribute when I am on the floor."
Lopez says he has not discussed the possibility of a buyout, per Youngmisuk, but this could bear monitoring moving forward.
Incoming First-Rounder on the Table?
Back in January, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the Lakers had "made it clear" that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. were up for grabs. The news felt a little like a one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-other scenario, given the lack of financial incentive to move Nance when his rookie deal has another season left.
Clarkson and Randle, though, have long seemed like logical trade options. Clarkson's contract ($25.9 million over the next two seasons) is the only non-rookie-scale money on L.A.'s books beyond this season, besides the untradable $36.8 million still owed to Luol Deng. Randle is slated to reach restricted free agency upon this campaign's closure, and his future is clouded with uncertainty by the Lakers' plan to go whale-hunting.
That adds an extra layer of interest to this tidbit ESPN's Ramona Shelburne relayed on The Lowe Post (h/t Lakers Outsiders)—the Lakers have fielded offers in which they'd receive a first-round pick. That they haven't pounced on said offers suggests the unknown particulars aren't as favorable as L.A. would like.
Previous reports have connected Clarkson to the Cleveland Cavaliers, per Wojnarowski (via ESPN Cleveland's Jordan Zirm). Using the seemingly safe assumption that the Brooklyn Nets' pick wasn't part of those talks, Cleveland can probably only sell its own pick and might want it attached to one of its pricey, non-expiring salaries.
The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly went after Randle, per The Athletic's Michael Scotto, but the offer sounds underwhelming. It would have been for Alexis Ajinca (who's been injured all season and is under contract for 2018-19) and a second-rounder.
While it's easy to envision next season's Lakers suiting up without either Randle or Clarkson, that doesn't mean they should be moved for pennies on the dollar.
Both have their warts—Randle's range is limited and he can't protect the rim; Clarkson is a shaky shooter and inconsistent playmaker—but they have value, too. Randle's handles and defensive-switching abilities are rare for a player his size (6'9", 250 pounds), and Clarkson is one of the league's most proficient quick-strike scorers (14.7 points per game, second-most among players averaging less than 24 minutes).
All statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com. Salary information obtained via Basketball Insiders.
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