NBA Rumors: Lakers could trade two stars

The Los Angeles Lakers have been up and down this season. They did win the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament, but they haven’t been consistent at all during the regular season.

Some fans and analysts were waiting until Dec. 15 before making any predictions about a potential roster overhaul in Los Angeles, as most of their new players still weren’t eligible for a trade because of their contracts.

But now that we’ve reached that date and most of the roster could be up for grabs, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Rob Pelinka’s team tangled up in countless trade rumors ahead of the deadline.

With that in mind, NBA insider Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reports that both Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell could be sought-after and raise plenty of interest around the league.

Lakers Could Move D’Angelo Russell And Rui Hachimura

“As I mentioned in my top trade candidates piece for the season, rival NBA executives who have spoken with HoopsHype believe Russell and Rui Hachimura are two potential trade candidates to watch on the Lakers, given their play and the salaries that they earn,” wrote Scotto.

All things considered, this isn’t much of a surprise. Russell has been fairly consistent since returning to Los Angeles, and multiple teams could target a 17-point, 6-assists-per-game kind of guy on a reasonable contract.

As for Hachimura, he hasn’t been able to live up to the expectations after rave reviews in the offseason, but he has the physical tools to be a versatile two-way forward who can guard bigger guys while also not being an offensive liability.

Gabe Vincent Could Also Be On His Way Out

Of course, getting either of those players would only work for the Lakers if they managed to lure a star player in return, with Zach LaVine being mentioned as a potential candidate.

On top of that, Scotto reports that they could look to part ways with PG Gabe Vincent, who made a great impression with the Miami Heat but has failed to find consistent playing time in Los Angeles:

“You could look at Vincent, who signed a three-year, $33 million contract in free agency and missed all but four games this year with a left knee injury,” said Scotto. “The Lakers have been cautious with him, and they’ve given him more time to heal. I’m told Vincent is hopeful that he can return sometime within the next two weeks. I know he’s certainly played many times while he was injured in Miami. This is a guy that wants to make good on that free agent splash that the Lakers had.”

It could still be early to panic, and the Lakers have shown glimpses of great play during stretches this season. But all teams involving LeBron James usually go through some major changes when they struggle to dominate early in the season, and this time might not be the exception to the rule, especially looking at how other powerhouses have fared over the course of the first 25 games or so.