Lakers Rumors: Possible trade returns for Brook Lopez
By Jason Reed
As the NBA season fast approaches, the Lakers rumors continue to build. However, one name that is not in the trade mix has been Brook Lopez.
Despite being one of the worst teams in the last four seasons, there has been a fair share of Lakers rumors circling throughout the NBA community. Los Angeles, massive market and all, is primed and ready to bring in their next superstar. LeBron James and Paul George have been the biggest names thrown in the hat, with other guys, such as DeMarcus Cousins, also in the mix.
All of these talks and speculation have led many to predict the next move in the Lakers’ arsenal. Los Angeles obviously needs to clear cap space with Luol Deng or Jordan Clarkson, as the duo combined take almost a $30 million cap hit. This is not just speculation, either, as the Lakers already made a move to free up cap space.
The move? Sending D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets for a draft pick and an expiring deal veteran in Brook Lopez. Lopez has been one of the best scoring centers in the league, and he was included to offset the massive contract Mozgov had. Luckily for the Lakers, they do not have to pay Lopez next season.
Because he is a new addition, Lopez has not been mixed into trade talks. However, President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka certainly have tricks up their sleeve, and trading Lopez could be one of them.
This raises the question: what exactly can the Los Angeles Lakers receive in a trade package for Brook Lopez?