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Los Angeles Lakers: There is only one player worth trading for this season

By Jason Reed

EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Rob Pelinka, General Manager of Los Angeles Lakers, speaks during Los Angeles Lakers Media Day September 25, 2017, in El Segundo, 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 Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Rob Pelinka, General Manager of Los Angeles Lakers, speaks during Los Angeles Lakers Media Day September 25, 2017, in El Segundo, 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 Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers are viewed as incomplete with a potential star incoming next summer. However, if LA were to make a trade, there is only one name to target.

Even though the Los Angeles Lakers signed LeBron James on the first day of free agency this summer, the team is still an incomplete version of what it could be.

While James and the Lakers will likely still make the postseason and will make a somewhat deep push, the team does not look ready to overthrow the Golden State Warriors quite yet. Instead, the front office is seemingly developing a plan that is meant to include next summer as well.

That is why the front office exclusively signed one-year deals to those besides LeBron James. It is also most likely why the Lakers did not match the New Orleans Pelicans offer sheet for Julius Randle despite it being a reasonable two-year, $18 million deal.

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As it stands right now, the Los Angeles Lakers are set to have just under $28 million in practical cap space next summer, according to Spotrac.

With a few small moves to open up some minor space, the Lakers could bring in a star like Kawhi Leonard next summer.

The obvious restricting factor for the Los Angeles Lakers is the $36 million owed to Luol Deng over the next two seasons. One of the possibilities for Deng is to stretch his contract out to save salary cap space. The other possibility is finding a suitable trade partner.

However, to get an expiring deal for Deng the Lakers would likely need to give up a young asset such as Brandon Ingram or Kyle Kuzma, something the team likely is not willing to. If the Lakers are going to do that, the front office needs to be assured that the return is worth it.

There is only one player that is worth giving up Deng and a young talent, such as Ingram. That player is New Orleans’ own, Anthony Davis.

Why Anthony Davis?

Anthony Davis is one of the NBA’s most elite players and is front and center with Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the front-runners to claim the NBA throne once LeBron James finally gives it up.

However, Davis has found very limited success in his NBA career and is in no place to be legitimate title contenders with the Pelicans. While the Pelicans are talented and did pick up Randle, New Orleans is not a huge free agent destination and there is no way that the team can bring in the pieces to compete.

The front office used the tradable assets in the DeMarcus Cousins trade, which arguably made the Pelicans a worse all-around team.

With that in mind, and seeing the door open in Los Angeles, Anthony Davis may force the Pelicans hand during the trade deadline and demand a trade. If so, it works out great for the Lakers.

Yes, this deal would have to include Brandon Ingram. As loyal as Laker fans are to Ingram, trading him for Davis is a great trade-off. Davis has an MVP, best player on the planet, ceiling. Ingram does not quite have that.

Throw in the Deng contract to even it out as well as Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Ivica Zubac, two young assets and two draft picks and the Pelicans would be getting a fair trade-off for Davis; especially if Ingram is the 20 points per game scorer he should be by the deadline.

The Los Angeles Lakers are actually opening up about $1.5 million in cap space by doing this, giving the team just under $30 million to spend next summer. Plus, the team is also maintaining its 2019 first-round pick to either open up more salary cap space or use it as depth next year.

Regardless, this would create a starting lineup of Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope/Josh Hart, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma and Anthony Davis; with a reserve unit of Hart/Caldwell-Pope, Rondo, JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley, Moritz Wagner and Lance Stephenson.

That is still a very solid 11-man rotation despite giving up four players and gives the team the flexibility to create arguably the best big three in NBA history with James, Leonard and Davis.

Related Story. Top 30 players in Lakers history. light

If that is not worth a trade, I do not know what is for the Los Angeles Lakers.

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