Lakers Trade Rumors: Latest on Jordan Hill, Chris Kaman and the Luxury-Tax Goal

Just hours before the injury-ravaged Los Angeles Lakers tipped off against the Houston Rockets the day before the trade deadline, it seemed they would have nine active players instead of the eight they've gone with lately. Then Steve Blake was dealt to the Golden State Warriors, per Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, and the Lakers' luxury-tax tango had begun.



Other NBA teams are seeking a useful big man, but Chris Kaman and Jordan Hill may not fit that description. Jettisoning unwanted players is no simple task, and the last-place Lakers have found many of their potential trade partners walking sideways as the deadline draws near.

As reported by Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal on Feb. 18, the Cleveland Cavaliers may be done pursuing Kaman: "The Cavs previously discussed acquiring Chris Kaman from the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources said, but those talks have stalled."

Kaman got demolished by Dwight Howard and Houston in the Feb. 19 loss as Dwight dominated the Lakers for 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. ESPN announcer and former head coach Jeff Van Gundy denounced Kaman's lackluster effort in the early going as Howard bullied him around the paint.



Kaman earned an All-Star nod as a member of the L.A. Clippers in 2010, but that season also saw him play a career-high 34.3 minutes per game on his way to averaging 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds. This year, Kaman has seen a career-low 18.7 minutes per game through 30 contests despite a rotation laid bare by injuries, including to starter Pau Gasol. 

The journalistic guru of the trade deadline, Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, also threw some cold water on a Jordan Hill trade with an early-morning tweet on deadline day.



Sean Deveney of Sporting News reported that multiple teams have interest in Hill—including the New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Bobcats and Ph...