Adding a little bit of depth defensively and perhaps getting younger in the roster could have been the changes L.A. needed to get back on track. With all of the trade rumors that have been circulating since the offseason, it's difficult to narrow the biggest potential moves to just a few. However, we'll break down the three that would have been the most pivotal.
Moving bench commodities for draft space
Due to a series of trades during the past few seasons, including last year’s trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ramon Sessions and the blockbuster sign-and-trade deal that brought Steve Nash to L.A. this past offseason, the Lakers’ options for the 2013 NBA draft can potentially become very slim.
With this team still in rebuilding mode, draft picks at this point are as good as gold. And depending on how well the Lakers and the teams associated with previous trades, including Cleveland and the Memphis Grizzlies, do, L.A. could end up as spectators during the entire first round.
One way to resolve the issue is to clean house with regard to the team’s bench. Players like Steve Blake, Robert Sacre and Devin Ebanks are completely expendable for the Lakers, and they obviously wouldn’t be involved in any big-name trade that makes the headlines the following day.
However, it is for this exact same reason that makes them so valuable in moving up in the draft order. A possible trade to other rebuilding teams like the Charlotte Bobcats for higher draft picks and other considerations would have put the Lakers in prime position to start getting some younger talent in time to chang...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
