Lakers News: Rounding Up Buzz Surrounding Potential Goran Dragic Trade

Not much has gone right for the Los Angeles Lakers this season. The team can't seem to shake the injury bug, as Steve Nash, Julius Randle and Kobe Bryant have been lost for the year, while Jordan Hill and Nick Young have battled ailments of their own. Making matters worse, the Lakers entered the All-Star break with a 13-40 record—good enough for fourth-worst in the NBA.

So, the plan is to just tank from here on out and get a top-five draft pick, right? Not quite.

Contrary to conventional thinking, the Lakers have been rumored to be in the market to deal for Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic before the Feb. 19 trade deadline. Just in case you aren't aware of what Phoenix wants in return, take a peek at this tweet from Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times:

Yes, that would be an asking price of a first-round pick, and that's where things get interesting.

The Lakers already owe the Suns a first-round pick this year from the Nash trade in 2013. However, it's a top-five-protected pick. Since Los Angeles is currently in line to receive a pick within the top five, this scenario would defer to 2016.

Now keep that in mind and consider Dragic is in the final year of his current four-year, $30 million deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Not only would the Lakers have to give up a first-round pick to the Suns for the guard, but Dragic could essentially leave the team following the season.

Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation put it best:

Here's the burning question: Why on Earth would the Lakers pursue Dragic now instead of simply targeting him in free agency?

Marc Stein of ESPN.com may have the answer:

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Sources said that the Rockets, who let Dragic go in free agency in the summer of 2012 but have him high on their list of free-agent targets this summer, are prominent among the teams hoping to engage the Suns in serious discussions about Dragic before the league's annual trade buzzer next week.

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The Houston Rockets are in an entirely different situation than the Lakers. They are a legitimate playoff contender this year, and Dragic's presence could catapult them deep into the postseason. If Houston is going to acquire the guard, it will need to do so before the deadline.

Of course, that may force the Lakers' hand. If Houston intends to trade for Dragic and sign him to a long-term deal thereafter, Los Angeles could miss out on its coveted target altogether.

To avoid that situation, Stein reported the Lakers are considering offering the guard a "four-year offer that would be valued as high as an estimated $80 million."

Dragic is easily worth a max contract. After all, he's averaging 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent from the floor this season. Los Angeles would love to see that kind of production in its backcourt.

Still, that deal would only be wise if the Lakers waited until the summer to propose it. While the guard will immensely improve the team right away, this season is already a wash, and he'd be doing more harm than good, as his presence could result in Los Angeles losing its top-five pick.

Sure, the Lakers don't want to miss out on this opportunity, but the team needs to be smart and continue building for the future. Maintaining its current draft picks is an essential piece to that puzzle. Patience will be a virtue in this case.