The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of things to address this summer before making their move at top NBA free agents to fill in roster spots. The young core, led by Lonzo Ball, are expected to be back although there are some who believe that it may work to the best interest of the Lakers to trade away some of them. One player that comes to mind is Lonzo Ball.
According to Fansided, the Lakers may want to explore the market and see who would be interested in Lonzo Ball. The Chicago Bulls have been mentioned recently, a deal that would involve Kris Dunn the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Ball is oozing with potential although most feel that the Lakers can do better by using a marquee point guard. Kyrie Irving has been mentioned as a potential target and all that should bear fruit (or not) this coming summer.
If the Lakers do send away Ball, he would be another young guard Los Angeles has put to waste. Most know how the likes of D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson have improved when they moved to new teams and Ball is likely to do the same. One thing about his game is shooting, something that many feel needs to be addressed. He does make up for it with brilliant playmaking but the fact remains that there will be times where he will need to shoot the ball from the outside.
If the Lakers fail to land Irving, there are other names to consider. Among them include Kemba Walker, Ricky Rubio, Darren Collison, Terry Rozier, Patrick Beverly or Elfrid Payton. If they hold on to Ball this year, they could also try and make a go at Kyle Lowry or even Mike Conley. The Lakers do have options so expect coach Frank Vogel and general manager Rob Pelinka to study the possibilities.
Should Ball be let go, the Lakers can also shift their focus on Josh Hart. He is seen as the young player in the roster that complements LeBron James the most and he has also shown tremendous improvement on both ends from last season. He was also called upon to step up when Ball got injured although his efforts went for naught.
The numbers game could also come into play. Ball will be making $7 million this season and then $11 million the season after. After that (in James final year), he will no longer be affordable since he will no longer be on a rookie deal. Teams will likely offer him a ridiculous contract and the Lakers re-signing him would be a big question mark.
