Lakers Trade Rumors: Teams with Multiple 1st-Round Draft Picks L.A. Must Target

One thing that was readily apparent by the Los Angeles Lakers' short postseason run was that they couldn't contend with the young, athletic Oklahoma City Thunder up front.

The fastest way for them to change that? Trade into the first round of this year's draft.

According to Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico, they're thinking about it:

"

Lakers "making real push" to get into 1st round of NBA Draft, says EC exec. Word is they like the Baylor guys: Perry Jones & Quincy Miller.

— Sam Amico (@SamAmicoFSO) June 21, 2012"

Fortunately for L.A., there are a bunch of teams with multiple first-round picks who might be interested in parting ways with one of them. Here's a look at which selections the Lakers should target.

Houston Rockets—Pick Nos. 14 and 16

This is the one that makes the most sense for L.A. They won't have to throw the world at the Houston Rockets in order to come away with a low lottery pick, and they'll likely come away with someone who can provide the frontcourt help they truly need.

Chad Ford's most recent mock draft has Houston taking North Carolina's Tyler Zeller with the No. 14 selection. Zeller is widely regarded as the third-best center available, and despite the fact that he still could stand to add some bulk to his 7'0", 247-pound frame, he gives the Lakers a very mobile, very big presence in the post, as well as a player who doesn't require a ton of development before he's ready to make an impact at the next level.

He may not be the Baylor guy Amico claims the Lakers want, but he still gives them youth and athleticism up front.

Boston Celtics—Pick Nos. 21 and 22

It's widely expected that Quincy Miller—one of the Baylor stars the Lakers are reportedly interested in—will still be around when the Boston Celtics pick. If the Lakers want to snag him, here's their chance.

Miller easily projected to be a lottery selection at the beginning of this season, but an ACL injury has left his effectiveness in question. There's no guarantee that he'll be able to put his raw skills to good use, but he's still a versatile, 6'10" prospect who can theoretically play the 3 or the 4. It's hard to believe that kind of raw ability is going to drop out of the first round, and this may be the high-risk, high-reward prospect the Lakers are looking for.

Maybe a nice little trade package involving one or both of those picks is the way the Celtics can get their hands on Andrew Bynum…

Portland Trail Blazers—Pick Nos. 6 and 11

It's unlikely the Portland Trail Blazers are letting go of their No. 6 overall selection, but they might be more willing to part with No. 11. The Lakers are going to have to give up a lot more to get that 11th pick than they would to get the 14th or the 16th, but on the bright side, this is their best shot at landing Perry Jones III.

Jones is one of this year's draft enigmas; he could go in the top 10, or he could fall all the way to the low teens. He has that dreaded reputation of being a soft big man, but the scouts still rave about his athleticism and his size (6'11", 235 pounds), which gives him the flexibility to play the 4 or the 5.

On paper, Jones looks like the perfect prospect. In reality, though, his passivity makes him a risk. He still might be a risk the Lakers are willing to take.