Lakers Trade Rumors (Photo : REUTERS)
After missing out on so many free-agent big men in the market, the Los Angeles Lakers are expected to make their moves on the trading front with their eyes locked in on Golden State Warriors forward David Lee and Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert.
According to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are already running out of frontline option four days into the free-agency period with LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs), Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Greg Monroe (Milwaukee Bucks) now off the market.
Although the Lakers are reportedly making a hard push towards signing center Kosta Koufos, Bresnahan believed the remaining option for the Lakers to improve the caliber of their roster is to trade for either Lee or Hibbert, who were both made available by their respective teams.
Lee, who will be pocketing around $15 million next season in the final year of his current deal, is set to be moved this offseason after the Warriors signed Draymond Green to a five-year, $85 million contract.
A two-time All-Star, the 32-year old Lee averaged 14.7 points and 9.5 boards over his 10-year NBA career and was by far the best frontline player through his first four seasons with the Warriors. However, with Green's emergence as a two-way star, Lee saw his role diminish as he played limited minutes off the bench during the regular-season and the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Pacers have also expressed their desire to unload Hibbert and his massive expiring contract worth $15.5MM. The former Georgetown standout averaged 10.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game last season, but his inconsistency the past two seasons prompted the Pacers front-office to find his successor in 11th pick overall Myles Turner.
Revisiting trade talks for Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins could be an option, but both Bresnahan and ESPN Los Angeles NBA insider Ramona Shelburne think the Lakers would rather pursue trades for Lee or Hibbert than sacrifice their young players and future assets.
