The clock is ticking away fast for the Los Angeles Lakers to make a significant move on the trading front. After having been denied multiple times, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchack could be on the cusp of adding the young talent they are salivating all this time, as they set their sight on reigning Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Lakers' obsession in upgrading the point guard hasn't been a secret. In fact, they made several attempts to address the issue. They inquired on the availability of Detroit Pistons' Brandon Jennings and fielded fellers for Phoenix Suns' Goran Dragic, but couldn't land either of their top trade targets because both are considered 'untouchable' then.
The Lakers front-office still believed they could snatch either of the two when trade deadline comes along; however their solitary bid of hope vanished in thin air with Jennings ruled out for the remainder of the season with torn Achilles tendon and Dragic nearly impossible to be traded because the Suns are currently locked in heated battle for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Despite the setbacks, Kucpchak stressed that his goal remains the same: infusing talent to a depleted lineup consists of journeymen and expiring contracts - a situation made even worse by a season-ending shoulder injury to star player Kobe Bryant.
"The big key is that we have to improve the talent level on the team," Kupchack said during a press conference via Lakers Nation correspondent Serena Winters.
Fortunately for the Lakers, the league hasn't run out of talented point guards waiting to be shipped when the right offer arrives. The Oklahoma City Thunder has been eager to ship fourth-year playmaker Reggie Jackson, who could bolt out next summer to pursue his dream of becoming a starter elsewhere. Then, there's Michael Carter-Williams, an athletically-gifted youngster whose flawed shooting mechanics made him a hot commodity on the trading market.
Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Bleacher Report) pointed out that the Sixers would like to deal Carter-Williams, but at the expense of multiple first-round picks. The Lakers, based on their current standings, poised to lock another first-round pick aside from the one they acquired along with Jeremy Lin from the Houston Rockets last offseason, but it's very unlikely they would sacrifice two first-rounders, even more protected top-5 pick, unless their trade target is a flat-out superstar.
Still, the Lakers' inability to meet the Sixers' asking price won't kill a potential deal right away. Perhaps, they could throw one of their expiring contracts (Jeremy Lin or Steve Nash) or blossoming power forward Jordan Hill (with a $9M team option for next season) with the Rockets first-rounder to hammer a deal.
On the other hand, Bleacher Report's Bryan Toporek is convinced the Sixers will hold onto Carter-Williams past the February 19 trade deadline unless they get multiple picks.
"Unless a team is willing to cough up multiple first-rounders for Carter-Williams, expect him to stay put through the trade deadline. A draft-night trade is far more feasible, especially if Emmanuel Mudiay is on the board when the Sixers are up."
Being in assets-collection mode, the Sixers have all the time in the world to wait and see what the market presents to them. The Lakers, meanwhile, are desperate to add a starting piece now before they make a splash in this summer's free-agency. Will the purple-and-gold go all in for Carter-Williams? It's something to look forward to on February 19.
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