Lakers Trade Rumors: Steve Blake, Chris Duhon Being Shopped

Just a few days into the preseason, the Lakers are already exploring the possibility of making a deal. Two Los Angeles guards are the subject of the most recent trade rumors.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, sources say L.A. is looking to move Chris Duhon or Steve Blake. The team has reportedly “made it clear to the rest of the league that Duhon and Blake are available via trade to any interested party willing to absorb one of those contracts.”

It’s not surprising that the Lakers are looking to trade the two players. Blake and Duhon are both adequate backup point guards, but the team doesn’t need both of them. After trading for Steve Nash in July, Los Angeles is very deep at the position.

When the Lakers were eliminated from the 2012 NBA Playoffs, they lacked depth at guard. Besides adding Duhon and Nash in the summer, they also signed Jodie Meeks and drafted Darius Johnson-Odom from Marquette.

L.A. wouldn’t likely ask for much in return for either player. After teaming up Nash and Dwight Howard with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, their roster is essentially set. Their biggest priority is to shed themselves of a few million dollars. Duhon is set to make $6.75 million over the next two years. Blake is owed $8 million during that time.

While both players have starting experience, they are backups at this point in their careers. Last season, his second with the Lakers, Blake averaged 5.2 points and 3.3 assists per game. Duhon averaged 3.8 points and 2.4 assists per contest for the Magic. He came over from Orlando in the Howard trade.

There have been rumors that Derek Fisher could possibly return to the Lakers. L.A. traded the veteran at last season’s deadline, and he finished the season with the Thunder.

The point guard is a free agent, but wouldn’t be able to return to his old team until March 13, 2013. He spent at least a portion of 13 of his 16 NBA seasons with Los Angeles.

The Lakers are 0-2 in the preseason. Blake and Duhon have combined for just two points in the exhibition games.