Lakers, Hawks could be looking to trade for lottery picks: http://bit.ly/111Tq8N
NBA Rumors: Lakers, Hawks Could Be Looking To Trade For Lottery Picks
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
With the first day of the NBA Draft combine behind us, rumors have already surfaced about teams looking to move up in the draft. While this is typical for this time of the year, what is interesting this time are the two teams looking to move up.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who have been shopping power forward Pau Gasol for the past few seasons, could be looking to move the All-Star big man to improve on their draft position (their only pick is 48 in this year’s draft) to subsequently bring in some youth to one of the oldest rosters in the league.
The other team, the Atlanta Hawks, have picks 17 and 18, and may be looking to package both of those picks to get into the lottery and a better shot at bringing in some talent,according to Fox Sports’ Sam Amico.
“The Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks are said to be two such teams, with both supposedly exploring the idea of improving their draft position.“[...] The Hawks own back-to-back picks in the first round (Nos. 17 and 18), and may be willing to package them together for the sake of moving up, insiders said.“As for the Lakers, their lone pick doesn’t come until midway through the second round (No. 48 overall). But, as usual, they’re supposedly willing to trade big man Pau Gasol in attempt to get younger. That may mean obtaining a pick, a younger player and a contract.”
Both teams will have some decisions to make on a few key free agents. The Lakers will likely offer Dwight Howard the maximum and it isn’t clear what the Hawks are going to do with free agent Josh Smith, who is one of seven unrestricted Hawks free agents.
It isn’t clear whether or not either of these rumors will materialize, and we won’t know until after the NBA draft lottery, which takes place next Tuesday, the 21st.
It’s a bit easier to imagine the Hawks going through with a trade like this as they’ll likely be looking to snag some big free agents this off season, and surrounding them with youth would be the best way to go about reworking their roster without rebuilding.
The Lakers, on the other hand, don’t seem as likely to move Gasol for a lottery pick as his trade value is currently at an all-time high with his expiring $19 million contract coming off the books in 2014 for whatever team he plays with next season — including the Lakers — and the fact that he played very well down the stretch of the regular season.
