NBA Rumors: Lakers Consider Trading Wing To Make Room For Another Veteran Big Man

The NBA trade deadline is barely a week away, and teams are carefully planning their moves.

One of them is the Los Angeles Lakers, who are reportedly looking into moving 3-and-D specialist Kent Bazemore in the hopes of acquiring the Brooklyn Nets' Paul Millsap in the buyout market.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer first reported on this development and the signs point to more trouble ahead for the Lakers.

Their core frontcourt lineup currently consists of DeAndre Jordan, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony and the recently-signed Stanley Johnson, while Bazemore is buried depth in the depth chart behind Malik Monk and Talen Horton-Tucker.

Moving Bazemore to acquire Millsap would suggest that the Lakers have already given up on both Jordan and Howard.

However, Millsap’s fit with the Lakers is questionable at best since his skillset as a small-ball big man would not help push Los Angeles any closer to contention–possibly even bringing their talent level down.

Millsap is already turning 37 years old in a few days and the Lakers’ obsession with veteran big men continues to be a head-scratching development for the franchise.

The Lakers’ issues this season go back to their bench-depleting move for Russell Westbrook and it is becoming apparent that they recognize their mistake.

If the Lakers are seriously considering trading Bazemore, there is always a market for 3-and-D specialists in the league and they could move him for someone that can serve as an immediate backup to Westbrook.

However, the Lakers and their fans should rein in their expectations on who they can acquire for Bazemore in a trade and also on the buyout market.

LeBron James is currently on the shelf due to an irritation in his left knee, and with the Lakers sitting at ninth in the Western Conference, there is a growing possibility that they miss out on the playoffs entirely.

Teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers have already leapfrogged them in the standings.

If the Lakers continue to slip, they might need to offload one of their superstars in the offseason for bench pieces that will help them be a more credible title contender next season.