NBA Trade Rumors: Avery Bradley To Lakers, Jahlil Okafor To Celtics, Jordan Clarkson To 76ers
NBA trade rumors involving the Los Angeles Lakers continue to be a popular topic online. The team is limping along with a 12-25 record, and the main culprit for their low winning percentage appears to be the team’s porous defense. Chatt Sports Net reports that of all the young talent the Lakers have, combo guard Jordan Clarkson might be their top trade asset. Once Clarkson was moved from the starting lineup to the bench earlier this season, rumors began to swirl that Clarkson’s departure from the team could be just a matter of time.
The Boston Celtics have been trying to acquire a quality center so they can strengthen their front line by moving Al Horford to power forward. CSN Philly reveals that the Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers have been talking about potential trades for months, and much of that discussion has been focused on Sixers center Jahlil Okafor. The article also states that Boston shooting guard Avery Bradley may be the 76ers’ target if they are to deal Okafor to the Celtics. MassLive adds that Avery Bradley is a player that several general managers around the NBA covet for his all-around skills.
The latest NBA trade rumors are buzzing about a potential deal between the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers. The scenario that is being debated online would see the Lakers acquiring Avery Bradley, while the Celtics would obtain Jahlil Okafor. The Sixers would round out the three-team deal by bringing in Jordan Clarkson. This hypothetical transaction would satisfy all NBA trade and salary cap rules, as verified by the ESPN NBA Trade Machine.
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The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to improve their defense, which is currently ranked 29th out of 30 NBA teams (per Team Rankings). Avery Bradley is known as a strong defensive player, but he is also a good offensive player and would be an asset to the Lakers on both ends of the floor. Jordan Clarkson is an up-and-coming young guard, but Los Angeles would seem to be much better off if they could swap Clarkson for Bradley.
The Boston Celtics would like to add a big man to their roster, and Jahlil Okafor is a skilled post player who can consistently score in the paint. The problem for the Celtics is that Avery Bradley is one of their most valuable players, and there is no one on the team who would be a suitable replacement if Bradley was traded. Given the fact that Boston would also sacrifice on the defensive end by starting Okafor and moving Amir Johnson to the second unit, this doesn’t appear to be a move that would improve the Celtics’ chances in the Eastern Conference.
The worst-kept secret in the NBA may be Philadelphia’s desire to trade one of their centers. Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor have both been the subject of various NBA trade rumors, and unloading either player would help them balance their roster. Jordan Clarkson could help the 76ers in any case, but with starting point guard Jerryd Bayless out for the season, Clarkson would probably step into the Sixers’ starting lineup and become a key part of the team’s future plans as they try to build a winner in Philadelphia.
Current NBA trade rumors are pointing toward a possible deal between the Lakers, Celtics, and 76ers. This theoretical proposal would likely be welcomed by Los Angeles and Philadelphia, but Boston would not give up Avery Bradley unless they received more value than Jahlil Okafor alone can provide. The basic structure of this rumored transaction could be tweaked and eventually result in a successful trade, but as it stands, this three-way swap will not go any farther than the NBA rumor mill.
[Featured Image by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images]
