Lakers Trade Rumors: Which Lakers Big Man Is the Most Expendable?

Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom have all heard their name floated in NBA trade rumors recently, and it's looking like the former champs may be gearing up to make a major move.

Although the Lakers have called the young and talented Bynum untouchable in recent negotiations, the club has been mum on both Gasol and Odom.

There were some indications that Los Angeles was willingly dangling Odom in a couple of different deals, but it appears as if those talks may have been fueled by people outside of the organization.

While Bynum is owed over $33 million over the next two seasons, Gasol is ticketed to make even more, as the club is on the hook for approximately another $57 million through the tenure of his contract.

That's a fairly large financial commitment to ask an interested club to take on without absorbing a bloated contract in return, and the Lakers have very little interest in doing that.

However, the team does have one very attractive trading chip in Odom, who is set to make just $8.9 million next season and has an $8.2 million team option for the following campaign.

The Lakers' major competitive advantage over almost every other opponent is their incredible size in the frontcourt, so it's unlikely that they'd be willing to give up either Bynum or Gasol in any deal that didn't net them a substantial upgrade in return.

If the team does decide to make a play on the trade market, they're likely going to be forced to give up Odom if they want to net anything in return.

Los Angeles would undoubtedly like to pair one of their more unsightly contracts like Luke Walton or Steve Blake with the versatile forward, but that would likely mean that they would yield less through a swap with another club.

Odom has really crafted a niche in L.A. and has been an excellent contributor to the club, looking seamless in his constant transition between starter and sixth man.

It's not easy to find a player that is capable of filling a variety of roles for the team in the same manner that Odom is, and that's exactly why the Lakers are in no rush to make a major move.

However, if the team does decide to trade one of its talented big men in an effort to improve in another more pressing area, it's likely that No. 7 will have to be involved.