The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to develop a young core they can build their team around, but they aren't necessarily happy with who they have. According to FOX Sports' Colin Cowherd, the Lakers are willing to part with everyone other than Julius Randle including this year's No. 2 overall pick D'Angelo Russell, who the Lakers reportedly aren't willing to wait on to develop:
They think D’Angelo Russell, within two years, could be really special. They don’t think he’s going to be special this year, and they don’t think he’s going to be special next year. They think he’s two years from being a very special player. They don’t want to wait.
ESPN's Chris Broussard says that the Lakers would like to trade their young talent to create cap space for multiple top free agents or to get a proven, high-quality player in return:
The Lakers would trade three of them, they’d like to keep Julius Randle, they’d move the other three to rebuild it with multiple free agents and Randle’s the only one they really truly believe is ready very quickly to be on a really good NBA team.
Randle, Russell, and Jordan Clarkson are thought of as Los Angeles' three best young players, and the fourth player Broussard references could be rookie Larry Nance Jr.
The franchise is starting a new chapter with star guard Kobe Bryant announcing his retirement at the end of the season, but it appears as though the front office doesn't have a real gameplan going forward.
Los Angeles is just 3-15 on the season, good for the second-worst mark in the league.
Follow our Los Angeles Lakers news page for all the latest Lakers news!
Back to the Los Angeles Lakers Newsfeed