The Los Angeles Lakers weren’t willing to part ways with rookie Brandon Ingram to make a trade with the Sacramento Kings for DeMarcus Cousins. In the aftermath of Cousins trade talks breaking down, the Lakers may have turned their attention to trying to acquire Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls.
According to Mike Adamle of NBC Chicago, the Lakers brass have started talking to the Bulls with the NBA trade deadline approaching on Feb. 23:
– ongoing discussion. Bulls have reportedly also begun talking with Lakers, after LAL's failed trade talks with SAC. Ingram is NOT involved.
— Mike Adamle (@TheMikeAdamle) February 20, 2017
Unlike the deal for Cousins in which the Kings insisted on receiving Ingram in exchange, the Duke product would not be involved in this trade for Butler nor would D’Angelo Russell, via Adamle:
REPORT: Butler is involved in the LAL – Bulls trade talk. Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson, & Julius Randle have been brought up – MCW as well.
— Mike Adamle (@TheMikeAdamle) February 20, 2017
Currently, Adamle is the only one reporting this trade rumor. Butler has been linked to the Lakers in the past, and the Bulls have been going back and forth on whether their star is available leading up to Thursday’s deadline.
If Butler is available and can be had for the trade package mentioned, it would be hard to argue the deal shouldn’t be made immediately. Butler would be a massive upgrade for the Lakers and would bring in the star player the team has sorely been lacking since Kobe Bryant’s departure last April.
Over the next few days, there’s bound to be more trade rumors that surface involving the Lakers as the team appears to be as active as anyone in the league right now.
