Los Angeles Lakers: Five ways to get rid of Luol Deng this summer
By Jason Reed
I have talked a bit about this trade before and I still stand by our opinion that if the Los Angeles Lakers want to acquire a great center this summer, DeAndre Jordan is the best option. Not DeMarcus Cousins, not Nerlens Noel (although he would be a good depth piece), not even a draft pick. Jordan is the way to go.
Jordan is entering the offseason in the exact same position as Chris Paul did with the Los Angeles Clippers last offseason. Jordan has a player option worth $24 million next year. With all of Lob City gone, there is a strong possibility that Jordan will opt out of his deal and head to a contender.
However, $24 million is a lot of money and might be more than Jordan would get as a free agent, so there also is the chance that he toughs it out for one more season.
If Jordan wants to head to a contender, the best way is to do a sign and trade deal, opting back into his contract. That way, the team that is trading for him can free up salary cap space.
In this case, it is the Lakers, who presumably are going to bring in stars alongside Jordan. The great part about this deal is the team would be adding an established star without sacrificing cap space. It is a win-win, much like most of these trades.