The LA Lakers are may be headed to the lottery again but the NBA trade rumors could give them some hope that it will be their last time around.
The turmoil with the Chicago Bulls can end up with a superstar being traded, with a full-on conspiracy revealed by Ryen Russillo of ESPN (h/t Basketball Forever).
To make a long story short, Russillo claims that the Bulls front office were upset with Butler for refusing a contract extension. They threatened to freeze him out and hereby reduce his value and not have to offer a max contract.
The story stated that coach Tom Thibodeau opposed the plan and kept Butler as a starter, enabling him to get the contract that he wanted. Ever since then, the relationship between Butler and the Bulls have become shady.
This could open an opportunity for the LA Lakers as Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report explained.
Pincus stated that "a combination of Tarik Black and Clarkson could work financially" for a Jimmy Butler deal, but the Bulls are likely to ask for more talent. This could give some pause for the Lakers since it would weaken the roster that Butler is supposed to lead.
However, there is another way for the Lakers to add more talent. Pincus is a known salary cap expert who also writes for Basketball Insiders and he shared the following scenario. (the Butler trade has not been considered yet)
"Assuming (Nick) Young opts out, the Lakers cut Huertas but keep Black and win the third pick in the lottery, they'll have roughly $20.8 million in salary cap space this summer.
If the team also waives Black and loses its pick to the Sixers, it would have roughly $31.5 million in spending power-just enough to try to entice Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin to change locker rooms at a starting salary of about $30.9 million."
A financially feasible scenario is one thing, but making it happen is another. Still, at least for this conversation, there is a chance that the Lakers can parade Blake Griffin and Jimmy Butler next season with the core still partially intact. If they get to keep D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram along with those two, the Lakers can be a legitimate playoff team.