Lakers Rumors: Possible Trade Packages for Luol Deng

Here we see the Lakers flipping the Rockets first round pick and Luol Deng only for the Bulls first round draft pick, which may seem absurd on the surface, but would be nothing short of genius for the Lakers. If the Lakers were to pull this deal off it would be the perfect start to new management under Rob Pelinka and Magic Johnson.

This deal essentially frees up an average of $15 million per year for the Lakers cap and does not sacrifice much. The Lakers here are giving up Deng, who averages 7.6 points and 5.2 rebounds and a pick that is not even theirs for a higher selection. To put it into perspective, the Lakers would jump from the 28th spot up to the 16th with this deal.

While that jump is not significant, it is not the driving point of this deal; it is merely extra adding on to getting rid of Luol Deng and his big contract. The Lakers could easily select somebody 16th overall that will match Deng’s production, and it will cost them a whole of a lot less.

The Lakers could land a guy like Ivan Rabb, or potentially even TJ Leaf if they were to move up into the draft. Rabb is a fantastic big man, averaging 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds at power forward for California. Leaf, who was Lonzo Ball’s teammate, could reunite with Ball if the Lakers do select him.

Leaf averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds playing power forward for the Bruins and could transition into a physical small forward in the NBA. Leaf shoots a decent three-point shot and would give the Lakers more options at both small and power forward.