Lakers Rumors: Why trading Lonzo Ball is an acceptable reality

1. It is the only realistic way to free up Luol Deng’s contract

The Los Angeles Lakers may not be as serious as they were in the past about freeing up Luol Deng after dealing Jordan Clarkson. LA was able to free up one of the larger contracts on the payroll and now Deng’s contract hurts a little less. However, the desire to trade Deng is likely still there in some capacity; he has been in Lakers rumors for over a year now.

Reports indicate that the only way the Los Angeles Lakers can get rid of Luol Deng’s contract is by trading one of their three young stars; Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram or Kyle Kuzma. Ball and Ingram are likely the easiest of the bunch, Kuzma may also require future draft picks.

However, of the three, Ball is the most tradable. Ingram is the center of this rebuild and can turn into an all-star caliber small forward in just a few seasons. Kuzma is great and will be a great power forward in the NBA, but trading him with Julius Randle potentially out of the door is unwise.

Thus, Ball becomes the most realistic option to trade. While his distribution and his overall culture change would be missed, the Lakers showed late in his injury that they can win without him. It is going to be easier for the Lakers to replace a distributing guard like Ball than the youth and promise of both Ingram and Randle.

That is especially true considering who has been tied to the Lakers *cough* LeBron James.