With the Lakers having only three players under contract for next season, the team will have a lot of decisions to make in the coming weeks. The Lakers need to add productive players, but don’t have many ways to do so.
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Outside of their cap room, the Lakers biggest trade asset at this point is their first round pick which is guaranteed to be in the top-nine. According to the LA Daily News’ Mark Medina, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is not opposed to using that pick in a trade:
Mitch Kupchak says he is willing to trade current pick (1-9) for good offer. Also wants to trade for another pick for middle/late 1st round
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) May 16, 2014
It should be expected that Kupchak would keep all of his options open. In a draft like this, teams could be willing to give up a lot to move up and take one of the top prospects. Also of note is that Kupchak would like to add a second pick in the first round.
The odds of that are a little more difficult as the Lakers have no other picks they could offer in order to obtain a second draft pick, but it does go along with Kupchak’s belief that the team needs to being in a number of players:
I asked Mitch Kupchak what is his biggest need to address this offseason: “We need to bring in players at every position, really.”
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) May 16, 2014
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The Lakers are a blank slate and the goal is to re-build as quickly as possible. With Kobe Bryant ready to return next season, the Lakers need to do everything possible to bring in a number of talented players. Moving their draft pick could be the best way to do so.
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