Trade targets: All 30 teams
Los Angeles Lakers
Record: 11-44
15th in West
Status: Sellers
At this point, the only drama remaining in the Lakers' season is where they finish entering the lottery. For much of the season, L.A. has had the league's second-worst record, ahead of only the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the Sixers have played better since acquiring Ish Smith on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets are only 3.5 games ahead of L.A.
While the Lakers don't want to be a complete embarrassment in Kobe Bryant's final games with the franchise, they could clear out some veterans to give more opportunities to their young players.
Potential trade targets
Hassan Whiteside
The Lakers' biggest long-term need is for a center who can protect the rim and function as a roll man with rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell. With DeMarcus Cousins most likely out of the picture with the Sacramento Kings fighting for a playoff spot, just months after the Lakers reportedly pursued Cousins, that could make Whiteside an obvious target in free agency this summer.
Because the Lakers would have to use cap space to sign Whiteside to a max-type contract whether he is on their roster or not, trading players or picks for him would only make sense to prevent the Miami Heat from trading him elsewhere at the deadline.
Lucas Nogueira
At a lower price range, Nogueira would be an ideal fit for the Lakers' needs in the middle. The 23-year-old Brazilian showed flashes of impressive play while Jonas Valanciunas was sidelined. However, the Lakers probably wouldn't be able to pry Nogueira loose from the Toronto Raptors without giving up one of their own young prospects.
Miles Plumlee
Alternatively, the Lakers could target a center headed into restricted free agency, such as the Bucks' Miles Plumlee or Celtics' Tyler Zeller. Because they aren't playing much in the final seasons of their contracts, such players would come relatively cheap, and their small cap holds would allow the Lakers to maximize their cap space this summer before re-signing them.
Most trade value
1. D'Angelo Russell
Whether you want to credit Byron Scott's rotation change or simply Russell's natural adjustment to the NBA, he has been far more effective since moving to the bench. As a reserve, Russell is using more than a quarter of the Lakers' plays with an acceptable .520 true shooting percentage. Still not yet 20, the No. 2 overall pick is on track to becoming a dangerous scorer and distributor.
2. Julius Randle
During what is effectively his rookie season, Randle has been dominant as a rebounder and has shown impressive ability to handle the ball for a big man. He'll have to dramatically improve his scoring efficiency, but other teams would certainly be interested in a 21-year-old with Randle's tools.
3. Jordan Clarkson
Clarkson's quirky contract situation -- he will be a restricted free agent this summer, when his salary in the first two years of the contract will be limited by the so-called "Gilbert Arenas rule" -- makes him more valuable to the Lakers than almost anyone else. Clarkson's small cap hold gives the Lakers huge cap space this summer, and if they match a backloaded offer sheet to him (à la Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin), Clarkson's salary won't likely escalate until after the Lakers have made their move in free agency.
4. Larry Nance Jr.
Inversely to Russell, Nance has played much better since moving into the starting lineup, improving his 2-point accuracy from 50 percent to 56.1 percent. Nance's defensive rebounding remains underwhelming, and at 23 he is a relatively finished product for a rookie, but he'll be a good value throughout his rookie contract.
5. Lou Williams
The three-year, $21 million contract Williams signed with the Lakers last summer was immediately tradable. A team in need of bench scoring would surely be willing to give the Lakers some value in terms of picks or prospects -- more likely second-rounders than a first-rounder -- if they want to move Williams and give Clarkson and Russell more time together in the backcourt.
Most valuable draft pick
2020 first-rounder
Everyone knows the Lakers owe a first-round pick to the Sixers (via the Suns) that is top-3 protected this season and the next. Lesser known is that the Lakers owe another first-round pick down the road.
The Lakers sent a protected first-round pick to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard that conveys two years after the one they send to Philadelphia. If the Lakers lose their pick this year, their 2018 first-round pick is top-5 protected. If they lose their pick to the 76ers in 2017, they'll send an unprotected first-round pick to Orlando in 2019. And if they manage to keep their pick each of the next two years before sending it to Philadelphia in 2018, the Magic never get a first-round pick at all. (In that scenario, the Lakers instead send Orlando a pair of second-round picks.)
The upshot of all of this is the Lakers can't currently trade their first-round pick outright until 2020, though they could potentially swap picks before then if they get another first-rounder the same year.
Most likely to be shopped
Roy Hibbert
The logic behind the Lakers acquiring Hibbert last summer after they struck out in free agency was sound. Signing a free agent would have required tying up the Lakers' cap space beyond this season, whereas Hibbert is a rental in the final year of his contract.
Alas, a change of scenery hasn't helped Hibbert navigate a league that now appears to move too quickly and space the floor too well for his rim protection to be elite -- particularly behind a porous perimeter defense. Moving Hibbert to a contender would make sense if one with a need for a backup center could find the right salary to match. There's no clear deal that works for both teams.
Toughest contract to trade
Nick Young
The Lakers responded to Young having a good season off the bench for them in 2013-14 while making the veterans minimum by handing him a four-year deal worth more than $20 million that almost immediately became one of the league's worst contracts. Young has provided sub-replacement play the past two seasons, and his salary will take up valuable cap space through 2017-18.