The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to become one of the most active teams on the trade front and free agency market this offseason as they are aching to bounce back from one of the worst seasons in the franchise history.
The Lakers, who finished with a 27-55 record this season, are reportedly interested in trading for Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams, and are also allegedly willing to trade their pick, seventh overall, in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Williams emerge as one the possible targets for the Lakers as reports came out that the Brooklyn Nets could part ways with the All-Star guard in hopes of clearing cap space this offseason.
Williams denied reports suggesting that he already asked for a trade, but the Nets superstar, who struggled big time this season, could benefit from change of scenery.
The 29-year-old point guard averaged a career-low 14.3 points to go along with 6.1 assists, which is his lowest assist production since his rookie season in 2005-06 in which he tallied 4.5 assists per game.
Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report also reported that the Lakers could use their seventh pick in a trade package for Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love, who is expected to be on the trading block after refusing to sign a contract extension.
Another option the Lakers are reportedly considering is trading the seventh-overall pick to move up in the draft, and select Kansas Jayhawks center Joel Embiid, one of the top three prospects in this year's draft.
However, it is still unknown at this point what assets the Lakers are willing to give up along with their pick to create an attractive package to land either Love or one of the top three picks in the rookie draft in June.
"But how the Lakers could put together a package good enough to get Love or even the No. 3 overall pick isn't clear at all. So the team will probably wind up using the pick-meaning someone from the group of Exum, Vonleh, Smart, Randle and Gordon will be coming to town," Ding wrote.
