Lakers News: Latest Buzz on Kristaps Porzingis Trade Rumors, Lonzo Ball and More

Los Angeles Lakers fans had to know the buzz surrounding the team wasn't going to die down in the month of August after adding a duo like Lonzo and LaVar Ball to the mix. 

Then again, fans probably didn't expect to see the team come up alongside Kristaps Porzingis's name in rumors, either. 

Alas, the link to the New York Knicks seems like one of the final offerings from the rumors market after a chaotic offseason of rebuilding in Los Angeles, a task now headed up by Magic Johnson. 

According to writer Peter Vecsey, who spoke with HoopsHype's Alex Kennedy (h/t Slam), then-Knicks president of basketball operations Phil Jackson had a master plan that would result in them drafting Ball, not the Lakers.

"People knew, they probably wouldn't have accepted, but Phil was angling to try to trade Porzingis for the No. 1 pick to Boston and he would have taken [Lonzo] Ball," Vecsey said. "That's who he was after. In the end, people might really like that."

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Jackson, of course, eventually received the boot in New York after creating a divide with superstar Carmelo Anthony and bringing up Porzingis' name while talking about trades. The team went on to draft point guard Frank Ntilikina at No. 8, still has Porzingis and has yet to move Anthony. 

Admittedly, the Lakers wouldn't be nearly as entertaining right now if the Knicks had mind-numbingly moved on from Porzingis after only a few years, as the Ball family might be taking the Big Apple by storm as opposed to the West Coast. 

Even in the face of this hindsight, though, things have started to quiet down around the team. Magic and the front office have made a series of moves in the wake of the summer leagues, with Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus breaking down some salary details: 

Translation: The Lakers continue to give themselves future-oriented flexibility, an approach that influenced the front-loaded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope deal and perhaps cost the team shots at backcourt guys like Rajon Rondo. 

Stephen Zimmerman appeared in 19 games as a rookie with the Orlando Magic a year ago before getting waived in July. He's now with the Lakers and will serve as deep depth behind Brook Lopez and Ivica Zubac. Vander Blue has bounced around the league since going undrafted in 2013 but recently won the 2016-17 D-League MVP award, so the Lakers saw it fit to bring him aboard. 

Elsewhere, the Lakers confirmed the signing of V.J. Beachem, who as a senior at Notre Dame averaged 14.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36.1 percent from three-point range. 

While Los Angeles is deep at the 3 with Brandon Ingram, Luol Deng and Corey Brewer, quick development from the 22-year-old forward could give the Lakers some flexibility if they choose to get active near the trade deadline next season. 

Development for a variety of players on the Lakers this year might hinge on the pace at which Ball comes along over the course of his rookie season. 

Expectations are high, especially after Ball reeled in the MVP award at the Las Vegas Summer League: 

"

 @ZO2_ gets his MVP hardware #LakersSummer pic.twitter.com/3aaFKqAuB1

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 18, 2017"

It's worth asking, though—how high is too high? 

Lakers legend James Worthy might've set the bar recently when comparing Ball to Magic himself. 

"He enhances everybody on the court. We haven't had someone with that type of talent really since Magic," Worthy said in an interview with TMZ (h/t Lakers Nation's Daniel Starkand). 

The Lakers hype machine was going to have plenty of juice before Worthy's comments. This isn't the first time Ball's playing style has been compared to Magic's, though, as his biggest selling point during the draft process was his court-general style and elite vision matched by no one else in his class.  

There's an immeasurable gap between style similarities and actually making it happen on the court, of course. But it's clear—one could argue expectations have never been higher for Ball.  

The hype fits the general theme surrounding the Lakers well. The front office made strides this summer, sticking to the long-term rebuilding plan or at least eyeing the summer of 2018, while moving D'Angelo Russell, dumping past mistakes such as Timofey Mozgov and adding more future-oriented talent. 

Given the vibes, a bump in the win column seems the natural next step. Looking ahead to next summer, well, the rumors market will do plenty of that soon enough. 

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