Lakers Rumors: The Utah Jazz are perfect suitors for a Julius Randle trade

With the lofty expectations of Los Angeles sports fans, Lakers rumors are bigger than ever. Within these rumors is young forward Julius Randle.

Julius Randle is a great player. The seventh overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft has rebounded from missing his rookie year with an injury to turning into one of the best young forwards in the league. Although he has been overlooked, this is why Julius Randle is a constant topic when discussing the latest Lakers rumors.

Randle hands down has the most trade value out of any Laker, besides the untouchable Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball. Perhaps the most blossomed of the young core in Los Angeles, Randle has proven to be a double-double machine and could excel if put in the right system.

Although he is great, he may be the next Laker to be dealt. Los Angeles wants to get rid of Luol Deng’s lousy contract, with Randle being the only packageable person to send along with him. Jordan Clarkson is an option as well, but his $12.5 million over three years only makes it harder.

While the idea of giving up Randle may be daunting to some fans, in reality, it would not leave the team with too large of a gap. The Lakers draft choices may signal that they may be moving a power forward this season, and if Kyle Kuzma thrives in the regular season, that could accelerate this process.

Kuzma brings the Lakers something they don’t already have, a stretch-four. With a playmaking guard like Ball running the point, this will be an extremely important asset to have. We have already seen how good the two play together, yet it is Summer League, but it still means a little bit.

That leaves the question, which trade would make the most sense for both parties? Well, it would be a deal involving the Utah Jazz.

This deal is a win-win for both sides. First and foremost, the Lakers are able to get rid of Deng’s horrendous contract, opening up around $18 million more in cap space next offseason.

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Second, the Jazz is getting a young player that they can build around with Rudy Gobert. Sure Favors and Johnson may be better now that Randle, but they are on expiring contracts. Add in a pick swap in 2019, where the Jazz gets the better of the two team’s, and its a great swap.

With Brook Lopez and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also on expiring deals, the Lakers now have so much cap space after this season. Los Angeles would essentially now how $60 million dollars freed up in 2018.

That is enough to sign Paul George, bring back Favors or Lopez on a smaller deal, and still have around $25 million to bring in another solid player. Heck, this could even be enough to bring DeMarcus Cousins to Los Angeles.

The Lakers would then have a starting five consisting of Ball, George, Ingram, Favors and Cousins. Although it is just Lakers rumors if this all played out perfectly that could be a deadly team. Especially if we see Ingram reach his max potential.

Next: Jordan Clarkson to Dallas makes sense

Overall, although I am on the Julius Randle hype train and think that he can be a star in this NBA, it may not be in Los Angeles. For the future of the franchise, it may be best for the Lakers to follow the Lakers rumors on Julius Randle.

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