NBA Trade Rumors: Have the LA Lakers Officially Joined the Carmelo Anthony Hunt?
ESPN's Chris Broussard recently reported that the Los Angeles Lakers have cast their lot into the ever-growing pool of suitors for Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony, and the continuing saga has taken yet another twist.
Andrew Bynum's name was mentioned by Broussard as the centerpiece of a Lakers-Nuggets deal, and he also said that Bynum would be a more interesting alternative to anything the New York Knicks have offered.
Could this be the deal that Lakers fans have been waiting for?
Anthony would give the Lakers another elite scorer, but more importantly he could stand as a bridge for Kobe Bryant once Bryant does finally decide to retire.
Right now, Denver and Los Angeles are only rumored to be in the preliminary stages of talks, but the entrance of the two-time defending champions into the discussion is very intriguing.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has made no secret of his disappointment with the team in recent comments, and he previously discussed the probability of a deal before the NBA trading deadline expired.
Needless to say, this is not the deal that most anticipated.
Most observers felt the Lakers would make a subtle move to shore up their interior defense or improve their shaky point guards, but this deal would rival the one that brought Pau Gasol to the Lakers in 2007.
It would also signal the end of the Lakers' patience with Bynum, who has never been able to remain injury-free long enough to realize the depths of his enormous potential.
The move could have its downside since Bynum's presence in the middle is one of the things that makes the Lakers unique, and the onus would fall on Gasol to elevate his play in the interior.
Against teams such as Boston and San Antonio, the Lakers would certainly miss Bynum's toughness in the middle, but it's hard not to appreciate what Anthony could bring to the team.
Anthony, Gasol and Bryant would rival the trio of talent in Miami, and depending on what other pieces Denver would demand, they may not have to mortgage their future to get it done.
Right now this is only speculation, but for the first time the Lakers have confirmed the rumors about Anthony that some have whispered all along, including myself.
If the Lakers do pull the trigger and are able to acquire Anthony, it would continue their tradition of luring top talent to Los Angeles, and the Lakers would have the new face of their franchise already in place once Bryant retires.
ESPN has said that it was highly possible that a deal could be worked out involving only Bynum and Anthony, and although the Lakers defense would suffer some, Anthony's offense has the potential to offset the loss.
