NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Target Recruit Spotted Wearing Kobe Bryant Jersey On Social Media

Victor Oladipo of the Houston Rockets is expected to play elsewhere although nothing has been set in stone.

Several teams could use the 28-year-old guard, with the Miami Heat believed to be the frontrunner.

Oladipo is in the final year of his four-year $85 million deal he signed with the Indiana Pacers in 2018. There are several teams linked to him aside from the Heat.

The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers are other NBA clubs said to be in the race although the Purple and Gold’s chances are not that high.

The Heat and Knicks do have the available salary-cap space to accommodate the two-time All-Star. They can add some of their players in the fray, a priority for the Rockets right now.

In a previous post, it was mentioned that Houston is not interested in future picks. They have a plethora of these from past trades.

As far as Oladipo is concerned, there is no telling where he will end up for now. Miami could use a veteran guard of his caliber despite his injury history. They do have young players that would interest the Rockets, a decision that Heat president Pat Riley needs to decide on. These players include Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson and Precious Achiuwa.

But if Oladipo’s recent social media post is to be taken seriously, it seemingly gives a hint that he is keen on a move to the Lakers.

Oladipo looks up to Kobe Bryant and admitted that the late Lakers’ star made an impact on his life. The second overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft rued the fact he never got the chance to get any special moment with the late basketball icon.

“I wrote on my Instagram that the true impact of his greatness was the impact on people that didn’t even know him. That’s greatness to me. When you can impact someone’s life in a positive way when they don’t even know you, you haven’t met them before, but you still feel like that was your brother … words can’t really describe that,” Oladipo said in an interview with the Indy Star.

While it would be something to see him in Los Angeles, the social media post could be nothing more than wearing a Kobe Bryant jersey to honor the Lakers’ legend.

Pressed for cash, the only way the Lakers can get Oladipo this NBA season if he gets bought out.

If not, the Lakers can wait until the offseason when he becomes a free agent. But this is with the understanding that no other team beats Los Angeles to acquire him and that the franchise has the available budget to take him in.