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Los Angeles Lakers: Three early potential trade targets at the deadline

By Jason Reed

OAKLAND, CA - MAY 08: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans complains about a call to Ed Malloy during Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on May 8, 2018 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - MAY 08: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans complains about a call to Ed Malloy during Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at ORACLE Arena on May 8, 2018 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard has already been talked about as a potential trade target this summer for the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James has also thrived with an elite guard beside him that could take the scoring pressure off of him late in games.

While Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart are young and promising, neither player is in the elite status and it will take time for James to fully trust the young duo when it comes to crunch time.

If the Lakers wanted to give LeBron his perfect match then there is no smarter trade target than Damian Lillard. However, it would be very unlikely for the Portland Trailblazers to trade Lillard prior to the season.

However, if things are not going as planned during the season and Portland is a seventh or eighth seed, the front office may realize that the team is not built to contend and may decide to fully blow it up for young prospects.

Again, this would take certain circumstances, but the Lakers would be a great trading partner for the Trailblazers to consider. They have a young point guard with a ton of upside in Lonzo Ball to focus the package around and could also throw in picks, Luol Deng and maybe even Hart.

If it means clearing up Deng’s contract I am willing to let go of Ball and Hart. Los Angeles could run Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as the starting two-guard with rookie Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk serving as the three-point specialist off the bench.

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