Lakers Rumors: Team Must Pursue Goran Dragic in Trade

The Goran Dragic saga has taken another turn.

First, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Phoenix Suns were inclined to trade guard Isaiah Thomas with Dragic unhappy about the cluttered backcourt in Phoenix. The Suns then hoped that Dragic would sign an extension with the team over the summer.

That appears to no longer be the case, however, opening the door for teams like the Los Angeles Lakers to put together a package to land the star guard. And that's exactly what the Lakers should do, as it appears Dragic's days in Phoenix are drawing to a close.

Per Wojnarowski, "After informing the Phoenix Suns that Goran Dragic won't re-sign an extension this summer, agent Bill Duffy delivered the Phoenix Suns a list of preferred trade destinations that includes the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Miami Heat, league sources told Yahoo Sports."

And Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report adds, "It's no secret that a half-dozen teams or more would love to land Dragic, including both the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. Asked whether Dragic would be inclined to stay with the Suns if Thomas were moved and he could resume the role he had last season, a source close to Dragic said, 'Don't think so.'"

It certainly sounds as though Dragic is intrigued by the Lakers, per Marc Stein of ESPN:

And the two teams have certainly already talked trades, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN:

Meanwhile, Sam Amick of USA Today spoke with two people with knowledge of Dragic's situation who told him the following:

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The main issue, according to one of the people, is that Dragic wants to run his own team with the kind of freedom and support given to someone such as Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. The decrease in production this season, as he sees it, is directly tied to the decrease in time spent as the lead guard with the host of ballhandlers that surround him.

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Dragic would certainly have that freedom with the Lakers. While Dragic would have to learn how to coexist with Kobe Bryant next season, it's not as though the team is brimming with talented players at the moment. In other words, Dragic would definitely have a lot of freedom to play his game with the team.

Indeed, his numbers are a bit down this season, as he's averaging 16.2 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds with Thomas and also Eric Bledsoe getting significant minutes in Phoenix's backcourt. In Los Angeles, a crowded backcourt would be the least of his worries.

For the Lakers, the trade makes a ton of sense if they can wrangle the assets to land him. Dragic would not only dramatically upgrade their backcourt but would also give them another valuable player to market to potential free agents in the coming years. 

Nick Young may be popular with the fans, but he's not exactly the sort of talent stars are clamoring to join in Los Angeles. 

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Of course, the Lakers could also play the waiting game, hoping that other teams aren't willing to give up a huge trade package to land Dragic. In that scenario, the Lakers could then offer him a big contract in the offseason without giving up any assets to bring him aboard. 

It's risky, of course—if another team trades for Dragic, they'll be able to offer him more than any other team in free agency—but it would also mean the Lakers could keep their draft picks and add some nice young talent to surround Dragic with should he sign with the team in the summer. 

Still, the Lakers would be wise to actively pursue Dragic now. If he can be brought to Los Angeles without the team dumping an excess of assets, it's the smarter move than waiting and hoping he can be signed this offseason.