NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers Tell Players No One Is Safe From Trade, Even Lonzo Ball, ‘LA Times’ Reports
The Los Angeles Lakers could be headed for a big shakeup, with NBA rumors indicating that no player on the team is safe from a potential trade as the team looks to once again be a title contender.
The summer of 2018 has circled on the calendar within the Lakers organization for years as the team centered its rebuild around the upcoming class of free agents that include LeBron James and Paul George. The Lakers are positioned to be able to offer two max contracts, and a new report from the Los Angeles Times indicates that the team is also willing to move any player needed to create a title contender.
As the report noted, the team’s front office has told players that none of them might be safe from the trade block as the Lakers move their rebuild into warp speed. That means Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram could all be moved if the price is right. The report clarified that none of these players is actually on the trade block at the moment, but the Lakers would be willing to listen to offers for any of them.
That could indicate that the Lakers are looking to make a run at Kawhi Leonard, who appears to be on his way out of San Antonio after his relationship with team management fell apart. The Spurs are believed to want a “blockbuster” offer if they are to part ways with the talented big man, the Express reported. If the Lakers are a trade partner, that could mean the Spurs want one (or more) of the team’s talented young core of players.
It’s the Lakers…then everyone else.
These are the 10 best salary-cap situations ahead of 2018 NBA free agency ? https://t.co/vlj3eICQKq pic.twitter.com/DMZXY91ajP
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) May 17, 2018
While the Lakers appear to be willing to trade any player, the NBA rumors remain more focused on what they will do in free agency. There have been rumors for more than a year that LeBron James wants to move to Los Angeles, where his family has an offseason home. Paul George is reportedly a target for the team as well, with the Lakers looking to take a giant leap in their quest to return to a Western Conference contender.
