The LA Lakers gaping hole is at the small forward position.
This season they have been using Kobe Bryant or Nick Young at the position and sometimes rookie Larry Nance, Jr.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have received calls inquiring about Shabazz Muhammad, according to Real GM, but the source (Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo) claims that the Timberwolves have no intention of dealing the swingman.
However, most pundits point out that that is always the right thing to say and it's the line one usually hears before a player is actually traded.
Thus, there is a good chance that Muhammad may actually be moved. Even the Minnesota Timberwolves blog Dunking With Wolves admit that Muhammad may not be a piece that the team is looking to keep long-term.
"Shabazz strikes me as a player who could be overpaid. You see it during every free agency period, and he could be the one that gets the undeserved money in 2017. A Los Angeles team will overpay him and start him," DWW predicted. "Then, his defensive flaws will be more noticeable than they appear now, which will lead to his contract looking terrible."
One reason why the T-Wolves fans are not so fond of Muhammad is that he used to have attitude problems. It also doesn't help that their team is stacked at that position.
In the meantime, Shabazz played college ball in UCLA, and both Los Angeles teams have a need for a scoring swingman. The Lakers, in particular, are a desirable destination for a 'homecoming.'
DWW concluded: "You can not pay everyone. Wiggins will get paid, LaVine probably gets paid, and that leaves....Shabazz. Shabazz signs in L.A. in restricted free agency and the Wolves don't match."
To avoid that quandary, the T-Wolves are trading Shabazz now. If the Lakers are interested, they can send Brandon Bass or Lou Williams to the Wolves, provided that's enough for Minnesota.