4. Brooklyn
Feb. 22, 2013; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin (7) dribbles around Brooklyn Nets point guard
Deron Williams(8) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports
With the Nets having gone into abandon ship mode, essentially, the Lakers could swoop in to take multiple different players. Again, however, this would be a package deal with Lin as the (likely) main financial piece from the Lakers.
The two names most likely for the Lakers are Deron Williams and Brook Lopez. For either trade, Nash and Lin would almost certainly be packaged together to give the Nets maximum cap relief. However, both trades would also have to include some more assets from the Lakers, likely in the form of draft picks or rookies like Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson.
The Lakers would be landing a player that can alter the franchise no matter which one they acquire. Williams has 3 years remaining on his contract (including this season), meaning he’d likely cost less. However, he’d probably have more of a direct impact on the team in terms of talent. He’d be the most talented point guard Bryant has played with, which tells more about the lack of talent from his teammates than anything else. Lopez would give the Lakers a big man for the future, but one with big injury concerns.
For Lin, it’d be another situation of a short-term stop before free agency, although the Nets might be a decent situation for him to resign considering the amount of money the Nets have proven they’re willing to spend.