Jimmy Butler (Photo : Getty Images)
Jimmy Butler (Photo : Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Jimmy Butler could join the Los Angeles Lakers in a potential three-way blockbuster deal that would also see Anthony Davis moving to Chicago, while a pair of young talents in Brandon Ingram and D'Angelo Russell playing for the Pelicans.
The Lakers are once again at the center of trade rumors, this time being linked to a mega-deal reported by the Inquisitr, citing a fan-proposed trade from NBA Trade Rumors. In the trade scenario, the Lakers would get Jimmy Butler, while the Bulls acquire Anthony Davis from the Pelicans. Los Angeles and Chicago then send Brandon Ingram, D'Angelo Russell, Jose Calderon, Bobby Portis and Nikola Mirotic to New Orleans.
The Lakers are entering a new-era this season following the retirement of Laker great Kobe Bryant. With plenty of new faces and young talents in their roster, the Lakers should be fun to watch in the 2016-2017 regular season, but are still not expected to become strong contenders in the foreseeable future.
While it would not be such a bad idea for the Lakers to wait for their young core to develop, the Purple and Gold are not known to thread such path. It has become a standard for the Lakers franchise to look for the fastest way to become title contenders, and that means trading for proven stars available in the market.
The Lakers' three-peat championship from 2000-2002 was a product of acquiring Shaquille O'Neal in the summer of 1996. Their last two championships happened after trading for Pau Gasol in 2008. If the Lakers wish to get back on their winning ways, trading for a superstar seems a viable option instead of waiting for the likes of Clarkson, Ingram, Randle and Russell to establish themselves as a legit superstar, although there is no denying the youngsters' potentials and talents.
Presuming the suggested deal takes place, Butler would help the Lakers speed up the process to become a contender in the Western Conference. Last season, Butler averaged a career-best 20.9 points per contest, while also displaying his overall game, with 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists. At 27, Butler has yet to enter his prime and still has a lot to improve, but the two-time All-Star has proven he is capable of taking over games.
Lakers, it is unclear whether LA would consider such move, especially if a potential deal involves Ingram and Russell, the team's second overall picks in this year and last year's NBA draft. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has insisted that the franchise is committed to developing their young talents, who failed to flourish during LA's dismal campaign last season.
"I want to see some production from our rookies and I want our team to be fun to watch. I want them to have fun playing. I want them to get better as the season goes along. But I don't know how that translates into anything else under my control," Kupchak said, reports the Los Angeles Daily News.
There are no indications the Lakers are looking to further improve their roster, but they are not expected to trade any of their young talents at this point. Nevertheless, acquiring Butler should be a tremendous boost to LA's quest back to being relevant in the NBA map.
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