The LA Lakers are at the fringes of NBA trade rumors because nobody wants the players that they are willing to trade.
Despite the continuous publication of NBA trade rumors involving the young core of D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson, the Lakers brass reportedly won't budge. Even if the team is losing and there are changes in the front office prompted by Magic Johnson and Jeannie Buss, the core is likely to stay intact.
Mike Bresnahan of Sportsnet gave the lowdown on Johnson's role for the team (h/t Silver Screen and Roll)
"I'm hearing he's not going to make any decisions, any movement within the organization before the end of the season," Bresnahan said. "He's going to take these two months, I'm going to say this phrase again, do his due diligence. He's going to check in with people."
Magic gave a two-month moratorium, but there is no assurance on what happens beyond that time frame.
"Once the season ends, that's when things could happen. Magic will not become the GM of this team, I've also been told that," Bresnahan said. "He's not going to assume any type of role, obviously they have a GM in Mitch Kupchak, and Magic is not going to be jumping into that position or anything like that. Still an advisor for now."
If this is the way for the Lakers to push their GM Mitch Kupchak to make some changes, then one of the moves he must try to "repair" is the big free agent signings this summer, namely the four-year contracts for Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report predicted that Luol Deng could be traded to the Sacramento Kings. The Lakers want more exposure for rookie Brandon Ingram and have placed him as the starting small forward. They also have an abundance of power forwards so they can't field Deng as a stretch four.
Hughes noted that the Kings have a predicament at the small forward position because of the injury to Rudy Gay.
"The Kings could certainly use a steadying, professional veteran presence on the roster, and Deng is most useful these days as an undersized power forward-an area of need Matt Barnes and Anthony Tolliver haven't consistently met."
Hughes notes that Deng is already overpaid, but in light of the Kings' mandate to win-now, it would fit the agenda. If there would be a franchise who could make a play for an aging veteran on a long-term contract, it's the Sacramento Kings.
The Lakers could send one of their veterans with increased trade value, like Lou Williams who is now coveted by contenders. The Lakers can send him off for a late first round pick that they could use to entice the Kings to take on Deng. The Lakers can absorb Gay (expiring contract) and other players that the Kings want to dispose.