Jimmy Butler guarding Kobe Bryant (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The LA Lakers will have a big offseason ahead as they need to build a relevant roster after the worst three years in franchise history.
The team has young, talented players, tons of cap space and hopefully, a top three draft pick. It's not as easy as it sounds because the free agent market is not as rich and several teams have cap space.
There were rumors early in the year that the Lakers wanted to jump start the rebuilding process by trading their young players, some combination of Jordan Clarkson, D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle and Larry Nance in a previous Lakers Nation report.
With this claim, each superstar was linked to the Tinseltown team. DeMarcus Cousins was the most notable name and so was Russell Westbrook and even Kevin Durant.
As the season leads to its final few games, the offseason landscape is clearer and when the dust settles, one trade starts to make sense.
Jimmy Butler is Chicago's superstar but the team is being bombarded by criticism as they ended up as a big disappointment. The Bulls could miss the playoffs-something they haven't done since 2008. Even with Derrick Rose, the Bulls' most valuable player injured even for entire seasons, Coach Tom Thibodeau always found a way to sneak in the postseason.
In the first season without Thibs at the bench, the Bulls could have an early vacation and if that happens, there could be some major changes.
Butler's ascension as the Bulls' alpha dog has been rumored to be causing division among the roster and even friction with Derrick Rose. All these factors could lead to a trade, and it is assumed that Butler is a superstar who could be acquired with the right offer.
The Chicago front office may stick with Coach Fred Hoiberg and when that happens, they need players who will match his fast-paced offense. Fansided suggested D'Angelo Russell of the LA Lakers, the 2nd overall pick in this year's draft who is slowly flashing his brilliance.
This would not be an even trade, and the Lakers may have to throw in another one of their young guys-Julius Randle seems like a piece they could be interested in, but if the Lakers win their top three draft pick, that would be attractive for the Bulls.
Butler could relish being the star in LA. He could fit right into Kobe Bryant's role and his presence could help the Lakers land top tier free agents.
