Earlier this month, he visited with Chris McGee and Time Warner Cable SportsNet, cautioning that he “wouldn’t suspect a blockbuster deal” before the February 18 deadline.
Not that he would ever telegraph any such transaction beforehand, of course. After all, who saw the Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown deal coming or the Dwight Howard and Steve Nash acquisitions? Or what about that most infamous of coups—the Chris Paul attempt that was squashed by then-commissioner David Stern?
But there are certainly enough clues about players from opposing teams who may be on the block; some that could fit nicely on a rebuilding Lakers roster.
Rudy Gay, Sacramento Kings
The rumors surrounding Rudy Gay of the Sacramento Kings have been swirling—this just two years after arriving in a midseason swap with the Toronto Raptors. Per John Reid of the Times Picayune, the New Orleans Pelicans are trying to engineer a deal to acquire the talented swingman.
Currently treading water in last place in the West, the Lakers should also be interested—not in an attempt to rescue this season but for their continuing rebuild. It’s no secret that L.A. is going to be in a hole at the small forward slot next season. Kobe Bryant is retiring, Metta World Peace is older than Methuselah, Nick Young can’t play a lick of defense and Anthony Brown is just a baby.
One solution that would address this problem, and others, would be to send center Roy Hibbert, shooting guard Lou Williams and rookie power forward Larry Nance Jr. to the Kings in return for Gay, backup center Kosta Koufos and young athletic shooting guard Ben McLemore, whose minutes have been chopped significantly ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
