Lakers Trying To Trade For Paul George, Clear Space To Sign LeBron James In 2018 Free Agency

Coming off the worst four-year stretch in team history, the Los Angeles Lakers are making moves to find their way back to prominence. L.A. is trying to trade for Paul George ahead of the 2017 NBA Draft, and they are already positioning themselves to sign LeBron James as a free agent in 2018.

It started Tuesday when Los Angeles made a deal with the Brooklyn Nets that surprised many. They traded D’Angelo Russell, the 2015 No.2 overall draft pick, in what was essentially a salary dump. The Lakers were able to get rid of Timofey Mozgov’s contract (three years, $54 million) in the trade while acquiring Brook Lopez’s expiring deal and the No.27 overall pick in Thursday’s draft. L.A. is now expected to have $30 million in salary cap space next summer.

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With the No.2, No.27 and No.28 pick in this year’s first round, the Lakers are hoping they can select one of the top players in the draft while trading picks for George. Even though the Indiana Pacers’ star would likely sign with the team as a free agent, L.A. is hoping to acquire George before a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers does, allowing them to offer him more money in free agency.

The Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets and Washington Wizards have also discussed trades with the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein.

With the draft less than two days away, the best package Los Angeles can currently come up with includes the two late first-rounders and either Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson. Given that they can probably sign him in a year, L.A. isn’t willing to give up more.

Los Angeles has explored other options, and will likely continue to do so up until the draft. TNT’s David Aldridge reported that the Lakers tried to send the No.2 pick to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for the No.5 and No.10 selection. L.A. would have then tried to trade one of those selections in a deal for George, but the Kings declined.

Acquiring George will be key in the Lakers’ pursuit of James. It’s probably going to take a lot to lure James away from Cleveland, including another failed championship run for the Cavs and a better supporting cast than what Cleveland can offer. Kyrie Irving is under contract for two more years, and Kevin Love is signed through the 2019-2020 season.

READ: Kyrie Irving Gives Cavs Shot Against Warriors In 2018

George is probably a top-15 player in the NBA, if not top-10, and James could win a title with him as his second-best player. Last year’s No.2 pick, Brandon Ingram, has a lot of upside, though he struggled in his rookie season as a 19-year-old. The Lakers are expected to draft UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball Thursday night, assuming they don’t trade the No.2 pick.

The Lakers haven’t won more than 27 games in a season since 2013, going 26-56 last year. The team might be resigned to missing the playoffs one more time before they can improve in 2018 when George and James are eligible to become free agents, though, with the Philadelphia 76ers currently owning Los Angeles’ first-round pick next year, they no longer have any incentive to keep losing.