NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Getting Paul Millsap, Golden State Warriors Eye Serge Ibaka

The NBA continues its trail towards the trade deadline and the rumors are just getting hotter. Paul Millsap was one of the few names thrown around that is reportedly getting shipped out of Atlanta.

While the Hawks have been brushing these rumors off, it seems like behind the scenes something could unfold. According to several rumors, the Los Angeles Lakers are making a serious bid towards acquiring Paul Millsap to join their young core.

According to Yahoo, Paul Millsap is no longer on the trade market if the Hawks are to be believed. The big problem with this is the simple fact that the Atlanta Hawks may not have a choice but to trade Paul Millsap because he is bound to be a free agent after this season.

And now that Millsap knows that he was nearly traded by the Hawks this season, there is probably no way that he stays with the team. The Atlanta Hawks will risk letting Paul Millsap go for absolutely nothing. For a team that is making a serious run in the East, this is definitely unacceptable.

It would seem that the Hawks are just trying to get more out of Paul Millsap. The trade deadline is still more than a month away and it is pretty obvious that the team is just biding their time. According to the Lakers Nation, the Los Angeles Lakers is one of the teams that was in serious talks with the Hawks for Millsap before he was taken off the market.

The same article suggests that the Lakers were willing to give up their young prospect power forward, Julius Randle. That seems like a dangerous thing to do as trading Randle for Paul Millsap, who is someone that could leave the next season, is something that is a big risk.

But the Lakers are known to be confident that players will resign with them whatever the case may be (except the Dwight Howard fiasco, of course). Plus, getting a big man like Paul Millsap is definitely a huge upgrade to their core. The Lakers, while extremely talented, are still very young and would speed up the development process with someone like Paul Millsap in tow.

Laker fans should definitely keep an eye on this saga as it unfolds because Paul Millsap will definitely be a game changer for their team. As for the Hawks, well their options are pretty slim now that soon to be free agent Paul Millsap knows he was nearly traded by his team.

Elsewhere, the Golden State Warriors are looking to further beef up their already ridiculous roster. It could be because the Cavs recently nabbed ace sharpshooter Kyle Korver for their equally ridiculous team. Now rumors are swirling that the Warriors have their eye on Serge Ibaka of the Orlando Magic.

The Warriors, despite all their embarrassment of talent, are without a true rim protector and will definitely benefit if they do acquire Ibaka. The Magic are rumored to be looking to unload Ibaka as part of a rebuild, and this may be the perfect opportunity for the Warriors to get him.

Ibaka and Durant played together with the Oklahoma Thunder for a long time. The two are known to play quite well off each other. So the Magic power forward will be quite familiar and comfortable at Golden State. Plus, Ibaka’s play on offense pairs perfectly well with the Warriors small ball game.

He could spread the ball as he has a pretty reliable long jump shot. Ibaka will also beef up the front court with his shot blocking ability and could also slide to the center spot if needed. The Cavs may need to worry once again if the Warriors are fortunate enough to land Ibaka.

The NBA trade deadline is on Feb. 23, 2017.

[Featured Image by John Raoux/AP Images]