The NBA trade chatter has kicked off early this season and not surprisingly, the Lakers find themselves already at the center of the conversation. But the latest names linked to Los Angeles are noteworthy, as a potential “fire sale” may loom for the Bulls.
Among the names linked as targets for the Lakers are former fan-favorite Alex Caruso, Zach LaVine, and DeMar DeRozan, according to The Athletic’s Jovan Buha.
“So, Alex Caruso is obviously a Laker favorite, but Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan — those have been two guys the Lakers have been interested in for several seasons now … I look at maybe one of those three as a target for L.A. come the trade deadline, or maybe sooner,” Buha told Jason Timpf of Hoops Tonight.
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Those are big names, and it’s interesting considering the type of player each one is when comparing it to potential fits with the Lakers. While it’s hard to argue that Caruso would provide a big spark, energy, and hustle, as well as rapport with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the potential impact of LaVine or DeRozan could be big.
The biggest factor of all, of course, will be the asking price Chicago has for each of these players, assuming they opt to make all three available in trade talks. Time will tell, but once again the Lakers appear to be a team to monitor from now through the NBA trade deadline.
