Lakers Trade Rumors: Paul Pierce and 7 Players Who Won't Be in Hollywood

Since the beginning of the season when the Chris Paul to the Lakers trade was nixed by NBA commissioner David Stern, it's been no secret that the Lakers need to make some moves to upgrade their current team. As a result, they've been linked to almost everyone at one time or another.

What does Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak have up his sleeve?

Who knows, but there are some guys the Lakers have been linked to that they won't be acquiring anytime soon.

Here's a look a quite a few guys that won't be calling Hollywood home anytime soon.

Lamar Odom

Poor Lamar Odom hasn't been happy in Dallas, and according to the Dallas Morning News, he's been pleading for a return to Los Angeles.

There's also ESPN's Ric Bucher, who added the following statement on Odom's situation:

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"I'm told he is desperate to go back to L.A.," Bucher said of Odom. "The Lakers will not take him. The Clippers would love to make that deal, but they don't have the pieces that Dallas would want right now because Dallas wants expiring contracts to be a free agent player, but don't surprised if Lamar Odom makes his way back to L.A. It just won't be this season."

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Odom's been a disappointment in Dallas, averaging only 7.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG.

There's no way the Lakers make a move to bring him back after freeing up valuable cap space by dealing him in the first place.

Dwight Howard

The Lakers probably will have to hold off on making any sort of moves until the Howard saga ends.

If they have a chance to land the All-Star center, it almost certainly will be their top priority.

However, despite early indications before the season that Howard was interested in signing with the Lakers, he now has backed off that stance and will no longer sign an extension in Los Angeles.

By no means are the Lakers out of the running, but it's a much riskier deal now.

First of all, acquiring Howard without an extension could mean only a two-month rental. Secondly, the Lakers probably don't have the assets the Magic are looking for in a trade.

Finally, there is the Buss equation.

Jerry Buss was a risk-taker. He may have made this type of gamble with the intent of convincing Howard to re-sign after a successful playoff run. But Jim Buss doesn't strike me as a guy to take the same type of risks.

Kyle Lowry

The Houston Rockets still have major interest in Pau Gasol, as many have reported, including ESPN's Chris Broussard. But the Lakers would want point guard Kyle Lowry in any deal, and that's simply not going to happen.

Lowry is having an outstanding season and is quickly getting his name mentioned among the NBA's best point guards.

He's a guy that Houston is going to build around and won't be shipping out in any deal.

Michael Beasley

The Lakers need some additional scoring and have had interest in Minnesota's Michael Beasley of late, but it's extremely doubtful they can get any type of deal done.

Kupchak would more than likely not take on any additional salary, meaning he would prefer to use Odom's $8.9 million trade exemption on a point guard.

Broussard reported that Minnesota is asking a first-round pick for Beasley and that the Lakers turned down the offer.

The return for Beasley is negotiable.

What's not is his $6.26 million cap figure.

That would have the Lakers paying the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax by making the move—something they won't likely be willing to do.

Jose Calderon

Kupchak will more than likely find a way to acquire a point guard, but even though Calderon would be a good fit, don't expect any deal here.

Calderon's $9.8 million salary is too big to fit into Odom's trade exemption, and, as ESPN's Marc Stein writes, the Raptors aren't willing to take back any salary in a trade.

The Lakers have inquired about him, but there doesn't seem like a possible deal can be had.

Rajon Rondo

Earlier in February, HoopsWorld reported that a Rajon Rondo for Gasol deal peaked interest from both sides.

Even though he would be a great fit on this Lakers team, Danny Ainge shot down reports from last week that suggested the Celtics were actively shopping their All-Star point guard.

Even if they are shopping him, it would probably take more than Gasol to get a deal done, and that's probably too steep of a price for the Lakers at the moment.

Paul Pierce

Rondo's not the only current Boston player that's been tied to the Lakers at one time or another this season.

Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News notes that Pierce could be had for the right combination of good young players and draft picks.

Pierce seemed like a nice option early in the season, and those rumors have started up again. But the Lakers can't put together the package that the Celtics are asking for, and taking on the $15 million Pierce is owed this season is a problem.