Nerlens Noel (Photo : Getty Images)
The LA Lakers still has intriguing move up its sleeve as one of the players on the trading block may have caught their eye.
A report by Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders noted that the Lakers refrained from signing no.2 overall pick Brandon Ingram to preserve their cap space.
"The team has held off on signing Tarik Black, Marcelo Huertas and second-overall pick Brandon Ingram, keeping an eye on what could be $13.6 million in cap room (assuming the team also waives and stretched Nick Young). The Lakers do have an unnamed trade target in mind, but are also preserving space for another opportunistic Calderon-like deal," Pincus stated.
The "unnamed trade target" has sparked speculation ranging from DeMarcus Cousins to Russell Westbrook. But what if the target is not really that ambitious but a valuable piece to add, nonetheless?
There are a lot of options at the $13 million salary range but it's not that simple, as Sports Illustrated's Fansided site The Sixer Sense stated. The Lakers would also want players on the final year of their deal which would allow them cap flexibility as they gear for another free agent run in 2017.
"Noel is technically in the final year of his deal, as the Lakers could simply not offer him the qualifying offer next summer if they don't want him," Josh Wilson of the TSS blog points out. "If the Lakers want to get someone that can offer them solid rim protection for a season, while leaving cap space open for following years, Noel could be an option."
The caveat for the deal is what the Sixers would want in return. They would like one of the Lakers young core, specifically D'Angelo Russell or Jordan Clarkson who could fill their void at point guard.
However, the Lakers will not budge at that demand especially since the Sixers have dug themselves a hole with their center logjam. The trade value for Noel or Jahlil Okafor for that matter has dropped especially since no less than Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo admitted that they need to make a trade.
The Lakers could offer Nick Young but even the Sixers would not take him. Lou Williams could be a worthy option for them. A veteran who can provide shooting from the bench could help the team.
It's likely that the Sixers hold out
