NBA Rumors (Photo : REUTERS)
Los Angeles Lakers have probably rounded out their roster for the 2015-16 season after signing Florida Gators sharpshooter Michael Frazier and Texas Longhorns forward Jonathan Holmes. Yet, NBA insiders think the Lakers will still make another move before training camp begins and that transaction could address their depth problem at the small forward spot. It's Fact or Fiction time again.
Shabazz Muhammad to Lakers?: The rumors about a potential trade that would send the former UCLA Bruins back to Los Angeles is an intriguing one largely because Muhammad is a promising young talent and coming off a solid year (averaging 13.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg / 48% FG, 39% from 3-Point area).
At 6-foot-6, 227-pound, Muhammad would have solved the Lakers' glaring home at the small forward spot. Other than rookie Anthony Brown, the Lakers don't have a natural small forward on its roster, while Nick Young and Lou Williams are too thin to match up with bigger wing players.
Unfortunately, it's unlikely the Wolves are going to let Muhammad walk away that easily, considering he's their biggest insurance in case Andrew Wiggins suffers an injury. It would take a lot for the Lakers to snag Muhammad away. They probably need to trade either Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson for them to get their hands on the budding forward. Fiction.
Lakers Consider Bringing Back Metta World Peace: According to Yahoo Sports NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers had an exploratory talk to sign World Peace, who played in China and Italy last year.
World Peace played four seasons with the Lakers, and was instrumental in the team's championship run in 2010. Despite his mercurial nature, World Peace is one of the best perimeter lockers in the game, winning the Defensive Player of the Year in 2004.
As what Woj reported, the Lakers are interested in getting World Peace's service back. At 35-years-old, World Peace is no longer the player averaging at least 17 points per game but he can be a boost to a team direly needing a defensive presence at the wing. It's a Fact!
Lakers to Keep Roy Hibbert Beyond 2015-16 Season: In an interview with Eric Pincus of Los Angeles Times, Lakers top honcho Jim Buss believes his team has 8 core players in place, and one of them is Hibbert.
Buss' remark is intriguing because Hibbert's contract will expire at the end of this coming season. With several elite big man available in the market next summer (Al Horford, Joakim Noah and Dwight Howard), does it mean Buss has already committed to make Hibbert the Lakers' center for the next five years? The jury is out on potential contract extension on Hibbert. Until he delivers the goods, it's safe to assume this is just a Fiction.
