NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Trading Nick Young For Tony Allen And Other Possible Scenarios

The NBA is heating up in the rumor mills, especially with the trade deadline fast approaching. The Lakers, who are currently sitting at 11-21 in the standings, have improved but still have a long way to go. They have a very young and extremely talented young core in the form of D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Brandon Ingram.

The three have been showing signs of having huge star potential this season and will most likely form the foundation of the next great Lakers dynasty. Despite, this the Lakers will need to start moving pieces in order for them to keep moving forward. One hot rumor is saying that Los Angeles plans to make a run for Tony Allen of the Grizzlies in exchange for Nick Young.

It does seem odd that Nick Young is still wearing a Lakers jersey this season. He did not exactly have a great season last year and had a much-publicized feud with point guard D’Angelo Russell over some personal matters. While there is no way that the Lakers will ship Russell, Nick Young is a dispensable player and figures to fetch a bit of value in the market. Unfortunately, Young’s constant off-court problems and inconsistent play have given the Lakers a lot of problems when trying to deal him.

Not too many teams are too keen on having Nick Young. According to Bleacher Report, the Lakers have actively tried to trade Nick Young ever since the D’Angelo Russell fiasco, but so far, no is biting.

This is what an insider has said about the Nick Young situation.

“The is a blanket statement on the Lakers. They look at the marketplace constantly, but as a team, they are trying to build a good solid culture for the young guys and they are extremely reluctant to mess with that.”

He continued, “It’s possible Nick is traded, but having talked to teams about Nick Young specifically, he does not have a lot of fans. It’s more likely than not he plays out his deal in LA, mostly because there is no market for him and the Lakers don’t see open to trade or changes.”

The irony is that according to Fox Sports, Nick Young has been doing great this season. Since December. 11, Young has been torching teams with his streaky shooting. Young is averaging nearly 15 points per game and scorched the Cavaliers just recently with a 32-point performance. But this might actually be his undoing for the Lakers as they are targeting Tony Allen of the Grizzlies. Nick Young and his resurgence could be the bait that the Lakers dangle in front of Memphis.

This will make sense for both teams. The Lakers will get Tony Allen who can provide leadership and defensive toughness for their young backcourt. Memphis will get a scorer in Nick Young who can address their scoring woes. While most will say that Memphis will be dealt a bad hand on this one, keep in mind that Tony Allen is on the downside of his career at 35-years-old while Nick Young is still at his peak.

Another possible trade scenario for Nick Young is one involving the Philadelphia 76ers’ Nerlens Noel. Both teams would also benefit from this trade as the Lakers can finally get a high potential center that could grow with Julius Randle. Those two guys could be a real defensive problem to other teams in the NBA in a few years. Philly, on the other hand, will get a scorer at the guard position just in time for Ben Simmon’s impending return.

Nick Young trade rumors are not going to die out until the trade deadline has passed. Stay tuned for more developments as the NBA season gets deeper.

[Featured Image by Frank Franklin II/AP Images]