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Los Angeles Lakers: Why a trade should not be made until next offseason

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 18: (L-R) Earvin 'Magic' Johnson addresses the crowd before Kobe Bryant has his #8 and #24 Los Angeles Lakers jerseys retired at Staples Center on December 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, 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 Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 18: (L-R) Earvin 'Magic' Johnson addresses the crowd before Kobe Bryant has his #8 and #24 Los Angeles Lakers jerseys retired at Staples Center on December 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, 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 Harry How/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Lance King/Getty Images for SiriusXM) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Lance King/Getty Images for SiriusXM) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. Trading Luol Deng will be much easier next offseason than during the season

By the time next summer rolls around Luol Deng will have one more year left on his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. The entire purpose of trading Deng during the season would be to open that salary cap space during the summer to bring in another star.

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However, the Lakers can still accomplish that goal by simply trading Deng at the beginning of the offseason to a team that can swallow the cap space. By that time, since Deng is on an expiring deal, it will be much easier to part ways with him and won’t need to include an overpriced package.

By that time, the cap situations of all 30 teams will be further developed and there will be teams that can afford to bring in a big contract. Perhaps the Los Angeles Clippers realize the team will not land Kawhi Leonard and takes on the contract for some picks and a young piece like Josh Hart.

Perhaps a team that is looking to trade a star is more willing to accept the Deng contract to match salaries as it will not affect further plans. Right now, if the Lakers were to try and trade Deng, most teams are unsure of the outlook of next summer and may not be willing to take the chance that Deng handcuffs them.

Granted, it does get tricky as the Lakers cannot get an expiring deal in return to free up space and would need to execute some sort of three-team trade or find a productive player that does not cost quite what Deng does but still opens enough space for a max star.

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Regardless, the landscape of possible Deng trade suitors is going to be much further developed come next July and the cost of trading him will be as low as it has been.

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