Lakers Rumors: Latest Buzz on Paul George Trade, Lonzo Ball and More

The Los Angeles Lakers made a splash when they brought in Magic Johnson to run basketball operations as team president, and the ripple effects of that shake-up are starting to manifest.

The team made a major move Tuesday to deal D'Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for Brook Lopez and the No. 27 pick ahead of a high-stakes 2017 NBA draft, and recent rumors suggest more major transactions could be on the way.

Could Paul George be a Laker sooner than later? What does this latest deal mean for the No. 2 pick?

Let's take a look at the latest buzz and what it could mean for this marquee NBA franchise.

Lakers Preparing for George?

Just a few days after The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski reported George told the Indiana Pacers he plans to opt for free agency after the upcoming season, the Lakers are apparently making their move.

Wojnarowski added that George would leave with an eye on coming home to California to play for the Purple and Gold, and Los Angeles is looking to speed up that process, per ESPN's Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne:

Shortly after this rumor hit the news, the Lakers made the Russell-Lopez trade, which drew plenty of eyes for being connected for a run at George.

Mozgov was entering the second year of a massive and seemingly awful $54 million contract, and the Lakers picked up an expiring contract in Brook Lopez. Not only does this make sense financially for the team, it also allows a proven NBA big man to provide some leadership to Los Angeles' young talent for a year while also netting the team another draft pick.

Clearing salary gives the Lakers more room to add George via free agency or trade, and possibly even more, as ESPN's Bill Plaschke speculated:

What would it cost to immediately bring George to Los Angeles, and would that price justify not simply waiting out the year to possibly sign George next summer at no expense of assets?

TNT reported the team explored juggling high draft picks with the Sacramento Kings to flip to Indiana, which fell through:

If this is the price range Los Angeles feels is necessary to make a trade for George, then the team has no business making this move now.

Indiana is in a position of very little leverage, since it knows George is going to leave the organization no matter what. The Pacers undoubtedly would like to net some sort of return, but the Lakers actually exploring such options to damage its draft picks and prospects pool, their greatest asset, is a knee-jerk reaction.

George has already reportedly expressed strong interest in playing for Lakers, so they can afford to wait this out. The longer Indiana goes without a trade partner, the more its leverage will dwindle. The only legitimate risk for Los Angeles is George getting traded to a contender next season and enjoying that team so much that his preferences are altered.

Being a California kid, George's heart looks to be with the Lakers. Instead of giving up so much just to have him now, Los Angeles would be smart to keep adding quality young draft picks while maintaining cap space. That way, there is a strong foundation in place that, with George signing, makes the Lakers that much more attractive to free agents.

Indiana will likely make a trade sometime down the road to get some return, and the Lakers should be involved if the price is right. Currently, it seems the cost is too high, and Los Angeles has the luxury of staying patient.

No. 2 Pick Set?

Lonzo Ball and his family have left no doubt that they want the former UCLA star to play for his hometown Lakers, and they may be getting their wish.

According to Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding, Los Angeles is closing in on making Ball the second pick on Thursday.

"Hotshot UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball desperately wants to be drafted by his hometown team, and the Lakers are nearing a final decision to select him with the No. 2 overall pick, according to league sources.

"Some final planning and discussion remains to be done before the draft Thursday, per team sources, but Ball logged quality time with Lakers president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka in a second predraft meeting Friday."

Ding reported this on Monday, and the trading of Russell, a point guard the team drafted at No. 2 to run the team just two years ago, seems to substantiate the notion of Ball landing in Los Angeles.

Sam Amick of USA Today used the clearing out of another point guard as a point of commending the Lakers' recent moves:

Regardless of what happens with George or any other free agent, creating a better situation for Ball to potentially come in and man the point is a smart basketball decision. 

Russell struggled with becoming acclimated to the passing and spacing intricacies that come with being a NBA point guard. He never shot better than 41 percent in his first two seasons, and although his assists average increased from 3.3 to 4.8 per game, the nearly three turnovers he averaged left doubt that he could effectively run the Lakers.

On a team with a budding shooter in Brandon Ingram, a solid slasher in Jordan Clarkson and an improving post presence in Julius Randle, the Lakers should have plenty of weapons to utilize Ball. He led the nation in assists in his lone college season, and his court vision and feel for the game allow him to make every teammate on the floor a threat to score.

Coming from Golden State, head coach Luke Walton wants a team that can space the floor and knock down open shots. Having a player like Ball that can find creases and create his own shot gives Los Angeles this type of potential. This also allows consistency in getting easy baskets in transition, an area in which Ball excels but Russell struggled during his time with the Lakers.

This is the perfect fit for Los Angeles, and he certainly speeds up its rebuild. Add in possibly George, and the Lakers should be among the league's most potent offenses in the near future.

Statistics are courtesy of ESPN.com.