Lakers Rumors: Latest Reports Before 2016 NBA Draft Lottery

Though they probably wouldn't admit it, the Los Angeles Lakers have to love standing as the center of attention this offseason. 

General manager Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers have exited the Kobe Bryant era with just two pieces for the future in place and now have to hope for a top slot in the NBA draft lottery before tackling a critical free-agency period.

The lottery is up first, though the Lakers aren't trying to get their hopes up too much because if two teams pass them in the order, the pick goes to the Philadelphia 76ers.

"If it doesn't work out where we get the pick, we get [a first-round] pick next year and we still have the ability to improve the team this summer," Kupchak said, according to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.

Speaking of improving over the summer, Kupchak has also gone out of his way to hint at possible trades, telling Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News that “nobody’s off limits.”

Interested in keeping an eye on the Lakers yet? Before the lottery gets underway Tuesday, here's a look at the most notable rumors making the rounds.

DeMar DeRozan Wants to Join Lakers?

DeMar DeRozan and the Lakers cannot seem to escape one another.

When one thinks of superstars the Lakers could ink this summer, the mind goes right to Kevin Durant. DeRozan isn't far behind, though, in large part because it just makes too much sense.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith recently talked about the pairing on First Take, as captured by Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com:

"

He’s made it very, very clear that he wants to be in L.A. He has family out there. He’s from out there. He wants to be in L.A. He wants to wear the purple and gold, and if there’s a way for it to happen, again he’s restricted, if there’s a way for it to happen, DeMar DeRozan will be in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform next season.

"

DeRozan is an unrestricted free agent if he opts out of his player option this summer, according to Spotrac, but otherwise the nugget makes plenty of sense.

Just 26 years old, DeRozan is one of the league's brightest young players coming off a season in which he averaged 23.5 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the floor.

Back in January before an ugly playoff stretch, a report from ESPN's Zach Lowe had suggested the Lakers would offer DeRozan a max contract. Such an offer likely still stands, though DeRozan went out of his way to say he won't ditch the Toronto Raptors in an interview with Joey Vendetta on the Jeff Blair Show (h/t Sportsnet's Jeff Simmons).

The Raptors advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals doesn't help the Lakers. If the Raptors had bowed out early and suggested to DeRozan the current core simply cannot contend, going home to be the focal point of a franchise like the Lakers would've looked like an incredible option.

Maybe it still does. Expect the Lakers to have DeRozan on speed dial as soon as he opts out.

Would Lakers Pay Up for Festus Ezeli?

Kupchak and the Lakers have a ton of cash to throw around if Durant or a major name doesn't come to town.

So much so, in fact, the organization might throw a max contract at a guy like Festus Ezeli.

It's shocking, but maybe it shouldn't be.

Sean Deveney of SportingNews.com revealed the situation: "The Lakers, a source said, will have interest in Ezeli, seeing his size and rim-protecting defense as an ideal complement to forward Julius Randle."

This requires much in the way of context. Los Angeles needs an upgrade in the middle, but Ezeli is a guy who only averaged 7.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game this season on 16.7 minutes. That's a career high in average minutes, and he's yet to play in a full season, having only appeared in 46 games in back-to-back seasons.

The line of thinking is twofold here. For one, Ezeli is a solid rim protector. Two, new head coach Luke Walton is the guy who got the most out of Ezeli during his time with the Golden State Warriors.

Oh, and hurting those Warriors and evening out the Western Conference sure doesn't hurt.

When one thinks of big names the Lakers could bring on this summer, Ezeli is far from the first player who comes to mind. But it's clear the Lakers have to overpay for talent to come to town these days, and Ezeli would at least reinforce a weak position and give the team flexibility in how it attacks others.

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