Lakers Trade Rumors: Dallas Mavericks Consider Deal With LA? Clarkson, Randle, Deng On Block?

Prior to the start of the season, rumors began circulating that the Los Angeles Lakers were looking to open salary-cap space to make a more serious run at the talented 2018 free-agent class. But with the Lakers' playoff hopes in serious jeopardy with an 11-21 record and their current 12th-place status in the Western Conference, the front office might be willing to make a trade sooner rather than later.

The Lakers have been actively looking to deal Luol Deng, who is due to make $18 million next season and $18.8 million in 2019-20. Trading Deng is imperative to creating cap space to sign two max contracts in the summer, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has stated that no team "is bailing the Lakers out with Deng’s contract."

In order for the Lakers to deal Deng, they will almost certainly have to add another player but the choices are limited. The Lakers are expected to lose their 2018 first round draft pick and young stars Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma are considered untouchable.

According to league sources, there has been interest in former lottery pick Julius Randle and combo guard Jordan Clarkson. Wojnarowski on Friday reported there were some "initial talks" involving Randle and Dallas Mavericks center Nerlens Noel.

The talks fell apart when Noel injured his left thumb on Dec. 8. The 23-year-old will have his cast removed in a week. Noel averaged just 12.5 minutes in 18 games this season.

Unlike Deng, Randle and Clarkson are considered valuable assets. Randle is a restricted free agent at the end of the season. Clarkson is owed $11.6 million this season, $12.5 million in 2018-19 and $13.4 million in 2019-20.

While Randle, 23, and Clarkson, 25, have just one start between them this year, the duo has been among the team's most productive players. Clarkson averages 30 points per 48 minutes, while Randle averages 27.4 — the best and second-best on the Lakers, respectively. Randle shoots 55.5 percent from the field, while Clarkson shoots 45.5 percent from the field.

"[The Lakers] believe they can trade Jordan Clarkson and get his money off. They prefer not to do it at the trade deadline," said Wojnarowski.

"Clarkson has helped them win games this year, and because they don't have their [first round] pick, they want to win as many games as they can. But there's got to be a sequencing here. And it gets back to: Are they going to chase one max-salary slot or two?"

The NBA Trade Deadline is on Feb. 8, 2018, at 3 p.m. ET.