Lakers Rumors: Latest Rumblings on Kevin Love's Future, Los Angeles' Draft Plans

The Los Angeles Lakers are ever present in the NBA rumor mill, which is what happens when one of the most recognizable brands in sports lands a top pick in a draft and names such as Kevin Love come up in rumblings. 

There's no shortage of options as to how general manager Mitch Kupchak and the front office can tackle rebuilding.

With the second pick in the 2015 draft, the Lakers can grab a top talent or trade the selection. There's a growing list of intriguing free-agent names to keep an eye on, too.

Without further ado, here's a look at the recent rumblings surrounding the franchise.

Nothing Around the Draft Seems Cemented

It's easy to look at where the Lakers sit on draft day—then at the top prospects—and call it a day.

It seems obvious, after all. The Lakers will either land Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns, a great all-around enforcer underneath the basket, or Duke's Jahlil Okafor, perhaps the most polished offensive big man to enter the draft in years.

Here's the thinking: Pair one of the top two names down low with last year's top-five pick, Julius Randle, securing that area for years to come.

Maybe not, though, as Marc Berman of the New York Post outlines a new thought process:

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There are multiple reports Lakers brass isn’t locked in on either of the draft’s top two projected picks, big men Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor. The reports have suggested intrigue in mystery point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, who played his season out of high school in China, and Ohio State point guard D’Angelo Russell.

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It's not too outlandish to think the Lakers could grab a top point guard to push Jordan Clarkson and pair him with a combination of Kobe Bryant, Nick Young and others.

Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell is an elite scorer who averaged 19.3 points per game last year and can shoot his way out of slumps. Perhaps the better fit for a team with plenty of shooters is Emmanuel Mudiay, who struggles with his shot but is an elite athlete with a high on-court IQ, helping to get others open in a creative fashion.

Both points are great options and would free up the team to pursue a big man on the market in an aggressive manner; it's just not perhaps what the globe expects from the team.

It's smokescreen season, but go forth with the understanding the Lakers aren't a lock to take one of the big men.

Kevin Love and the Lakers?

Maybe this is why the Lakers seem comfortable with a guard at No. 2.

The Love-to-Lakers narrative won't die any time soon, especially after the big man's odd campaign with the Cleveland Cavaliers where he didn't fit in as well as some would have guessed.

ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst recently spoke with Grantland's Zach Lowe on The Lowe Post podcast about Love's future, and the latter dropped a bombshell regarding the Lakers, as RealGM captures:

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"Every executive I talk to, every agent I talk to, every quasi insider, every girlfriend's cousin's sister's boyfriend all says this guy is out of there," said Brian Windhorst during a podcast with Zach Lowe.

"I hear the same thing from everybody," said Lowe. "From everyone that is two or three or four steps removed. I don't quite believe all of that ... Part of what's going on there is the Lakers' boogeyman. They don't just say he's out of there, they say 'He's going to the Lakers.' That has much to do with the fear people have of the Lakers as it does with Kevin Love."

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It's impossible to know what's going on with Love, but if he yearns for the days when he was the star player and didn't play second or third fiddle to other players, the Lakers have an opening in the franchise-player department.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Love averaged just 16.4 points last year, down from his 26.1 the year prior with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He can get solid cash anywhere, which is why there are so many rumblings about him moving around.

The Lakers are an obvious attractive destination for the 26-year-old forward, with Randle already on board and another top-five pick on the way. It would seem a better fit, with Love the leader as Bryant fades out, so it's something to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses.

Even if Love stays put or moves elsewhere, the Lakers remain one of the centers of attention when it comes to top-name free agents, and part of the reason to thank is the team's new approach to rebuilding.

All stats and info via ESPN.com, unless otherwise specified.