After seemingly losing DeAndre Jordan to the Mavericks in free agency, the Clippers refused to lose the third leg of their competitive stool by trying to woo the center into coming back. Lo and behold, it paid off, as the All-NBA Defender decided to return, turning the Clippers expectations for next season around:
But while Doc Rivers and the Clips were working miracles, the other Los Angeles team—saying this as recently five years ago would have been a cardinal sin—the Lakers, have quietly been making moves to return to a competitive level in the Western Conference and build for the future.
With a roster comprised of young talent and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have filled in the cracks this offseason with trades and free-agent signings of mid-level players, but the moves don’t appear to be at an end quite yet.
Mavericks approaching Pacers about Roy Hibbert
One of the biggest gets for the Lakers this offseason has been center Roy Hibbert, who is expected to arrive in a trade with the Indiana Pacers.
Although Hibbert has lost favor with some fans since his breakout season in 2014, when he was an All-Star and named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, he is still a highly capable center who can help plug the lane and cover some of the Lakers' defensive deficiencies.
But while the Lakers believed they had Hibbert locked up, the same stipulation that allowed Jordan to return to the Clippers—no deal can be made official until July 9—has put the trade with the Pacers in jeopardy.
As reported by Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated, executives around the league believe that the Mavericks could approach Indiana about trading for Hibbert after losing out on Jordan:
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
