The Los Angeles Lakers have an exciting team to watch heading into the season but they have been linked with trade rumors all throughout the offseason. According to the latest round of speculations, the Lakers might be close to acquiring Rudy Gay and Ben McLemore from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Nick Young, Lou Williams and Jose Calderon.
The Lakers have a great core of young talent including D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle. The front office also added veteran players such as Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov to surround these young players.
Deng and Mozgov will help solidify their roster but also give advice to players such as Russell, who went a bit far last season by leaking a video of Nick Young confessing his infidelities. Speaking of Young, he has been rumored to be on the trading block this summer and a stretch provision candidate but nothing has happened.
However, the news of Gay being unhappy in Sacramento means a trade might be on the way before the start of the season. According to Christian Rivas of Lake Show Life, the Lakers acquiring Gay will help the locker room even more while the Kings will get something in return for their disgruntled small forward.
"Williams and Young could provide some much-needed scoring off the bench for Sacramento on dirt cheap deals," Rivas reported.
The Kings have put Gay on the trading block this offseason but no deal has been made since his value has taken a hit. He has told the Kings front office that he will be opting out of his contract which means the pressure is on Sacramento.
However, Gay will create a logjam at both forward positions if the Lakers ever acquire him. He could possibly hinder the development of Ingram, Randle and possibly, Larry Nance Jr. However, adding the 30-year-old to their roster might help Los Angeles win more games, even sneak into the playoffs.
On the other hand, the Kings might also want to let go of McLemore to create some space for Young and Williams. The Lakers can add Calderon, who can help Sacramento's weakness at the point guard spot with the questions surrounding Ty Lawson and Darren Collison.
The trade will be Gay and McLemore going to LA in exchange for Young, Williams and Calderon, and it works according to ESPN Trade Machine. The Lakers get a one-year rental of Gay while also giving McLemore a chance to shine. As for the Kings, they get better players to come off the bench while also securing the point guard spot.
Nevertheless, these are just rumors and nothing has been confirmed. Check out the video below for some of the highlights of Gay's career so far.